-Caveat Lector-
Leader's killing 'means open war'
Israel steps up its assassination policy with a missile attack on
the most senior Palestinian leader to die during the intifada
Suzanne Goldenberg in Ramallah, and agencies
Tuesday August 28, 2001
The Guardian
Israel yesterday claimed the highest ranking victim of its
assassination policy since the Palestinian uprising began, killing
the leader of the Popular Front for the Libertion of Israel with
two missiles sent through the window of his office in a Ramallah
apartment block.
Mustafa Zibri, universally known as Abu Ali Mustafa, died working
alone at his desk.
The office is on the first floor of a block of flats in a
well-do-do residential area.
Shortly after his death at 11.15am the PFLP's military wing said
that as an "initial response" one of its groups had shot and
wounded an Israeli settler near the settlement of Itamar.
A settlers' spokesman said the motorist was critically wounded.
To many Palestinians Mustafa had iconic status. The Marxist faction
he led was once second only to Yasser Arafat's Fatah organisation.
Thousands took to the streets in protest and there were calls for
revenge from across the political spectrum.
The explosions shattered windows and mirrors in adjoining rooms,
but otherwise, apart from scorch marks above the north and east
facing windows of his corner office, the building was eerily
unscathed.
Mustafa was by far the highest ranking of the 40 Palestinians
assassinated by Israel since the intifada began.
Arguably he was the most significant since 1988, when Israeli
commandos killed Mr Arafat's lieutenant Abu Jihad in Tunis.
His assassination was a departure from Israel's strategy, which has
so far focused on eliminating activists of Mr Arafat's Fatah and
the Islamist group Hamas rather than members of leftwing factions.
His wake at a town hall a few blocks away reflected his senior
status. Leaders of Palestinian groups from Hamas to the leftwing
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine paid their
respects.
"At first there was a sense of shock, but now there is a sense of
vengeance," the DFLP leader, Qais Abu Laylah, said.
"When people in the top Palestinian leadership are targeted by
Israel I don't think there is any place or range for what you may
call moderation. This is an open war."
Palestinians regarded Mustafa as a strictly political figure. Born
to a humble family near the West Bank town of Jenin, he was for
years the right hand of the veteran leader George Habash.
An opponent of the peace accords with Israel, he returned from
exile, with Israel's permission, in 1999, and succeeded to the
leadership of the PFLP 16 months ago.
Once the second largest faction in the PLO, the PFLP has been on
the sidelines in recent years as Hamas and other Islamist groups
strengthen their hold. But it has been an emerging military force
in the uprising, and carried out a string of car bombings in
Israel. None caused Israeli fatalities.
The Israeli army said Mustafa was directly responsible for the car
bombings. Its statement said he "invested most of his energy in
establishing covert underground military cells of the PFLP". But it
offered no proof that he was dir- ectly involved.
Mustafa was killed only hours after the prime minister, Ariel
Sharon, convened his closest cabinet ministers, including the
foreign minister, Shimon Peres, to order an increase in the
assassination of Palestinian activists.
A potential successor to the PFLP leadership, Abdul Rahim Maluah,
said the strategy would backfire.
"The Israelis have gone through all the red lines when they
assassinate a person like Abu Ali Mustafa," he said. "This has
reached the highest levels of the Palestinian leadership and they
must know beyond a doubt that their decision will have
consequences."
In addition to the prominence of the target, yesterday's attack
stood out for its sheer audacity. Three of the eight flats in the
building attacked are occupied by Palestinian families holding US
passports.
"I was sitting at my desk drawing a rose, and then went out to get
a banana from the kitchen for Haneen," said Leila Daas, 10.
"We were just at the door when the blast happened, and then we all
started running and screaming."
Mustafa's neighbours said they had little to do with him, and had
assumed his presence in the building did not compromise their
safety because he was a political leader.
But his bodyguard, Fadi Abu Salah, said he had been acting like a
hunted man for months: staggering his arrival at the office and
changing vehicles.
"The Israelis possess high technology. They have satellites and
their collaborators and spies. It is obvious that a well known
leader will always be followed by Israel, and by collaborators," he
said.
Guardian Unlimited � Guardian Newspapers Limited 2001
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