- President Bush's national security adviser and Israel's foreign minister said Monday Israel gave no advance warning of the Israeli attack that killed Ahmed Yassin, a founder of the militant Palestinian group Hamas.
U.S. national security adviser Condolezza Rice said, meanwhile, she knew of no consultations between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and President Bush about any plan to target the sheik.
But Rice, asked about U.S. reaction to the attack during an interview on NBC's "Today" show, did say, "Let's remember that Hamas is a terrorist organization and that Sheik Yassin has himself, personally, we believe, been involved in terrorist planning."
Denouncing Yassin as "the godfather of suicide bombers," Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Israel was doing everything it could to coordinate with the United States.
But, he told reporters after meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney, there was no coordination or advance word to Washington before the attack in Gaza.
He called the attack "pure self-defense in order to protect our people."
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http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/8247814.htm?1cMore news....
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder and so called spiritual leader of the Hamas terror group responsible for bombing to death hundreds of Israelis, was himself blown to smithereens by an Israeli missile as he left a Gaza City mosque Monday morning.
Fox News reported that all that was left of the blind, wheelchair-bound Muslim killer was his head.
Seven fellow terrorists, among them two of Yassin's sons, were also killed by the three missiles fired at the entourage by an IAF helicopter gunship shortly after 5 AM.
Where a week earlier newspapers had shown pictures of Ashdod streets red with the blood of 10 Jews killed by terrorists from Gaza, today's press is filled with images of Yassin's mangled wheelchair lying in pools of Arab blood.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesmen said that in killing Yassin Israel had "eliminated the biggest threat to peace and stability on the region," by getting rid of a "heinous murderer" who "was personally responsible for the deaths of hundreds and hundreds of Israelis.
"Justice has been done."
http://www.jnewswire.com/news_archive/04/03/040322_yassin.aspCommentary:
The lack of notice seems a small matter. Rice's comments do not suggest unhapiness. This bipartisan support for Israeli self-defense is gratifying.
Today, as progressives, we celebrate. We reject terror and embrace the role of Israel as a willing partner in our fight agaist it. The IDF has delivered a crushing blow to the spine of Palestinian resistance. Two of Yassin's sons were also finished, as were several terrorists. Hamas leaders appear to be running scared, despite their impotent cries for revenge.
Wonderful news.
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