Israeli Rocket Kills Top Hamas Leader
Rayyan, a cleric who sported a long, black beard and a pleasant face, was considered one of Hamas' most radical high-level leaders. In light of the recent Israeli air strikes on Gaza, Rayyan had called for renewed homicide bombings inside Israel.
As the hideously mangled and blood-soaked corpses of Sheikh Nizar Rayyan and his family members were pulled from the smoke-spewing rubble that was once their home, enraged supporters vowed revenge. Hamas official Ayman Taha said, "The blood of Sheikh Nizar Rayyan and other martyrs will never be wasted and the enemy will pay a heavy price for crimes it committed."
Rayyan had ignored pleas from fellow Hamas leaders to vacate his house for his own protection - despite the fact that Israel has a history of successfully hunting down and killing high-ranking terrorist leaders.. In anticipation of Israeli assassination attempts, many of Rayyan's cohorts abandoned their residences for safe shelter. Rayyan was well aware of the risks, but chose to ignore them.
Was it Nizar Rayyan's desire to die a martyr's death at this time?
That Rayyan held the notion of dying for one's convictions in very high regard cannot be denied. Proof positive of this is the fact that, in October of 2001, Rayyan sent his own son to carry out a suicide bombing in Elei Sinai, a settlement in Gush Katif. Two Israelis were killed in the attack. As well, he oversaw and financed the 2004 attack on Ashod's port, which killed ten Israelis.
The air assault on the Gaza Strip began last weekend, and, according to Israeli officials, are being carried out in response to rocket attacks from Hamas. Israel says the attacks are being waged in order to curb future Hamas rocket attacks.
Two important lessons can be gleaned form this latest flare-up of hostilities between Arabs and Jews. One is that it seems to be very unlikely that there will ever be peace in the region (though I fervently pray that I am wrong). And the other is that if you live by the sword, you die by the sword.
Sources:
Israeli strike kills senior Hamas leader, Nidal al-Mughrabi, Reuters, January 1, 2009
Top Hamas leader killed in Gaza strike, Yaakov Katz, The Jerusalem Post, January 1, 2009
Published by Hartley Engel
I was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada but raised in Los Angeles, California. I have a BA and MsEd degree from USC. View profile
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5 Comments
Post a CommentWhat's most troubling is that cowards like Rayyan wish to carry on a war against innocent civilians, and yet hide behind their wives and children.
israel is the real terrorist. Israel what..who? does it even exist???
Hate of Israel has little to do with opposing Religious views but of a small nations superior performance. They do not accept that their brothers and sisters will always remain in the stone age with a contribution of only ignorant and jealous suicide bombers.
It is inhuman for these Hamas cockroaches to imbed themselves in not only their own homes, but amongst the civilians at large. The world reaction against Israel is a sham, as the majority of those killed are Hamas members. Israel dropped leaflets and broadcast warnings to the Palestinians to vacate certain areas before they bombed them. The only thing Hams, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda and the rest of the terrorist thugs understand is force. There's no negotiation with these irrational barbarians when they will send one of their sons into Israel as a suicide bomber. Great article.
Great reporting and congrats on the feature.