The body of an Israeli man shot in the head and bound was found Thursday morning near the West Bank City of Tulkarem. An Israeli rescue team arrived at the area, south of Tulkarem, and pronounced the man dead.
Israeli troops and Border Policemen were searching the area for the attackers.
Israel Radio reported that according to one version, Palestinians forced an Israeli who was in the area into their car where they shot him at point blank range, bound him and dumped him from the vehicle. At this point Israeli security forces began to arrive at the scene, where they found the Israeli.
Meanwhile, Hamas published a pamphlet Thursday warning that for every Hamas leader killed by Israel it would kill 100 Israelis. Hamas said that it would exact the heavy price for both military and political leaders.
"In response to the Israeli assassination of any leader from our movement ... we will kill 100 Zionists at least."
The group said the university blast, which was caused by a planted bomb and not a suicide attack, was "one of a series" of reprisals for the raid that killed its military wing head, Salah Shehade.
"We ask our military groups to continue military operations and martyr operations," it said. Hamas blamed Wednesday's blast on the Israeli occupation of east Jerusalem and vowed to "teach (Israeli Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon and (Defense Minister Binyamin) Ben Eliezer a lesson after they came to assassinate our leader."
The group also criticized US President George W. Bush, whom they called the "head criminal," for his support of Israel and said Hamas would pursue its resistance. "We say to America, we are not afraid."
This new threat comes in response to reports that Israel is planning a major operation against Hamas following Wednesday's bombing of the Hebrew University. Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
