Israeli killed after Hamas pledges revenge for missile strike

The Associated Press

NABLUS, West Bank -- An Israeli was killed and another wounded in a mortar attack in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, hours after tens of thousands of Palestinians called for vengeance at the funeral of a prominent Islamic militant killed in an Israeli missile attack.

The latest violence raised fears of heightened turmoil two days before the arrival of two American mediators to the region.

The Israeli was killed at Kfar Darom, a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip, a military official said on condition of anonymity.

The militant, Mahmoud Abu Hanoud, was a top figure in the Hamas group. His deputy Ayman Hashaykah and Hashaykah's brother, a lower-ranking figure, were killed Friday evening in the northern West Bank when their vehicle was hit by several Israeli missiles fired from a helicopter, Palestinian security officials said.

Israel acknowledged it carried out the strike. Over the past year, Israel has killed about 50 militants suspected of attacks on Israelis in such targeted strikes, which Palestinians condemn as assassinations. More than a dozen bystanders have also died in the targeted strikes.

At the funeral procession near the West Bank city of Nablus, mourners chanted "revenge is coming soon." Gunmen fired bursts into the air and marchers waved the flags of Hamas and other militant groups.

The Hamas leader in Nablus, Teissir Imran, told the crowd that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon "has opened the door to hell, for himself and his people." The Hamas military wing, Izzedine al Qassam, said in a leaflet that it is "committed to avenging the blood of one of our leaders."

'Professional terrorist'

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said Abu Hanoud, 34, was a "professional terrorist" responsible for the deaths of scores of Israelis, and that Israel acted in self defense in killing him. An Israeli government statement said Abu Hanoud had masterminded several major Hamas bomb attacks in Israel.

Nabil Abu Irdeineh, an adviser to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, accused Israel of trying to sabotage U.S. peace efforts by killing Abu Hanoud.

He referred to the planned arrival Monday of two American mediators, Assistant Secretary of State William Burns and retired Marine Corps general Anthony Zinni, who are hoping to revive a truce deal and restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said Abu Hanoud had been planning more attacks, and "when you have a master-terrorist who is in the middle of sending suicide bombers into Israel, nobody imagined that we would allow such an act to be committed just because someone was about to arrive here."

Israel has tried to capture Abu Hanoud in the past. In August 2000, three Israeli undercover troops were killed by friendly fire in a botched attempt to arrest him in his home village of Assira al-Shamaliya near Nablus. Abu Hanoud fled and was taken into custody by the Palestinian Authority.

Six months ago, he was injured when Israeli warplanes retaliating for a suicide attack at a shopping mall in Israel bombed the Nablus prison where he was being held. Israel said the Palestinian authorities released him after the air strike.