Israel resumes assassination policy against militants

ISRAEL said yesterday it had resumed an assassination policy against some Palestinian militants and could mount air strikes to ensure its Gaza pull-out does not come under fire.

The Israeli threats, prompted by a flare-up of Islamic Jihad militant attacks on Jewish settlers in Gaza, underscored the deterioration of a four-month-old ceasefire and followed an acrimonious Israeli-Palestinian summit.

Israel shelved “targeted killings” of militants in February as part of a truce deal. But resurgent violence has raised the spectre of disruption to Israel’s planned August withdrawal from Gaza and dimmed hopes for “road map” peace talks afterwards.

Word that the assassination policy had been dusted off came with Israeli confirmation of a failed missile strike on Tuesday while Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas were holding tense talks in Jerusalem.

“There was an attempt in Gaza to intercept an [Islamic Jihad] activist yesterday. It was unsuccessful,” Israel’s Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra said. “Any means to neutralise the organisation are relevant and possible.”

Islamic Jihad has resumed mortar bomb and rocket salvoes against Jewish settlements in Gaza in what it calls retaliation for continued Israeli raids to capture wanted militants. “The attempt yesterday to kill an Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza signalled the resumption of the targeted killing policy,” an Israeli source said.

Khaled al-Batsh, an Islamic Jihad leader, warned of “terrible consequences” if Israel carried out assassinations. “The calm would end. We will not be dictated to by Israel,” he said. Withdrawing from Gaza under fire would be political poison for Mr Sharon, strengthening rightist foes who have said the pull-out would be perceived by the Palestinians as a sign of weakness.

Israeli planes have been hovering at low altitude over Gaza since Monday evening in an indication they are ready for renewed lightning strikes on militants.