Israeli forces killed Mustafa Zibri, known as Abu Ali Mustafa, acting leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorist organization, late this morning. This marked the highest-ranking Palestinian political/military leader killed by Israel in its long war against terrorism in many years. Two missiles were fired at his Ramallah office, which situated very close to Arafat\'s offices.
Mustafa was responsible for dozens of attacks against Israelis, including car bombs in Jerusalem neighborhoods such as Meah She\'arim, and most recently, last week\'s car bomb that did not cause any casualties. The Barak government allowed him to return to the PA autonomous areas in September 1999 after he verbally recognized the validity of the Oslo agreements. Since then, however, he has been involved chiefly in organizing armed cells to carry out terrorist attacks. Mustafa replaced PFLP founder George Habash, who has been sick for several years, as head of the organization.
The killing came the morning after the security mini-cabinet decided that from now on the IDF retaliatory actions will not suffice with the bombing of empty buildings, but will rather strive to cause casualties among those connected with the Palestinian war effort. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Sha’ul Mofaz, GSS head Avi Dichter, and others participated in the meeting in Tel Aviv. Last night\'s Israeli retaliations following the attacks of the weekend that left seven Israelis dead caused no injuries on the Palestinian side, except for five people who suffered from shock in El Bireh, south of Ramallah. Apache helicopters fired three air-to-surface missiles at PA security facility in Tul Karem, and tanks shot five shells at a PA paramilitary headquarters in Ramallah, leveling the building.
Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh strongly justified the attack:
\"He [Mustafa] stood at the helm of an organization that in its ideology and its actions was against any conciliation with Israel - and the gravest thing of all is that he sent out car bombs! So what do we have to wait for? He\'s not a spiritual leader, sitting in his library and writing books; such a man would not be a target. He stands at the head of a network that results in people blowing up!\"
Environment Minister Tzachi Hanegbi said that Israel\'s policy is totally one of self-defense, and that even if the killing of Mustafa could be considered an escalation, as the Arabs claim, \"the Palestinians would be well-advised to take the hint.\"
UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan blamed Israel for increasing tensions in the region, Meretz and Arab Knesset Members criticized the strike, and the French Foreign Ministry called it \"grave.\" The Palestinian Authority declared a general strike tomorrow and three days of mourning.
Mustafa was responsible for dozens of attacks against Israelis, including car bombs in Jerusalem neighborhoods such as Meah She\'arim, and most recently, last week\'s car bomb that did not cause any casualties. The Barak government allowed him to return to the PA autonomous areas in September 1999 after he verbally recognized the validity of the Oslo agreements. Since then, however, he has been involved chiefly in organizing armed cells to carry out terrorist attacks. Mustafa replaced PFLP founder George Habash, who has been sick for several years, as head of the organization.
The killing came the morning after the security mini-cabinet decided that from now on the IDF retaliatory actions will not suffice with the bombing of empty buildings, but will rather strive to cause casualties among those connected with the Palestinian war effort. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Sha’ul Mofaz, GSS head Avi Dichter, and others participated in the meeting in Tel Aviv. Last night\'s Israeli retaliations following the attacks of the weekend that left seven Israelis dead caused no injuries on the Palestinian side, except for five people who suffered from shock in El Bireh, south of Ramallah. Apache helicopters fired three air-to-surface missiles at PA security facility in Tul Karem, and tanks shot five shells at a PA paramilitary headquarters in Ramallah, leveling the building.
Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh strongly justified the attack:
\"He [Mustafa] stood at the helm of an organization that in its ideology and its actions was against any conciliation with Israel - and the gravest thing of all is that he sent out car bombs! So what do we have to wait for? He\'s not a spiritual leader, sitting in his library and writing books; such a man would not be a target. He stands at the head of a network that results in people blowing up!\"
Environment Minister Tzachi Hanegbi said that Israel\'s policy is totally one of self-defense, and that even if the killing of Mustafa could be considered an escalation, as the Arabs claim, \"the Palestinians would be well-advised to take the hint.\"
UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan blamed Israel for increasing tensions in the region, Meretz and Arab Knesset Members criticized the strike, and the French Foreign Ministry called it \"grave.\" The Palestinian Authority declared a general strike tomorrow and three days of mourning.