Palestinian threat like a cancer: Israeli army chief

PALESTINIAN militants pose a “cancer-like” threat to Israel and must be defeated at all costs, Israel’s new army chief has said.

Lieutenant General Moshe Yaalon’s comments yesterday stirred angry criticism by left-wing politicians who said he overstepped his bounds as a military officer.

The army chief said the dangers of the conflict with the Palestinians were much graver than the threat posed by Iraq.

“The Palestinian threat harbours cancer-like attributes that have to be severed and fought to the bitter end,” he said.

Yossi Beilin, a key player in peace accords for the region, urged Lt Gen. Yaalon to honour his admonition to his own troops, when he told them not to make political statements.

Meanwhile, Israeli troops backed by tanks and helicopters raided Jenin refugee camp and arrested Jamal Abul Haji, 44, a regional leader of the Islamic militant Hamas group.

Military officials said Abul Haji was responsible for planning at least six suicide bombings, including a bus attack in northern Israel that killed nine people, and a Jerusalem pizzeria bombing that killed 15.

Also yesterday, a lawyer for the Israeli government told the Supreme Court that expelling three relatives of Palestinian terror suspects from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip did not violate international law.

Yesterday marked the first day in the landmark case. The court adjourned without making a decision.