JERUSALEM – A Palestinian rocket that scored a direct hit on a busy Israeli shopping center today was launched from a former Jewish community in the Gaza Strip evacuated by Israel in 2005, a leader of the terror group that carried out the attack told WND.

The attack, which wounded at least 16 civilians, some seriously, came hours after President Bush arrived in Israel to celebrate the country's 60th anniversary and to lend prestige to Israeli-Palestinian negotiations aimed at creating a Palestinian state by the end of the year.

"We will keep fighting and firing rockets until every last Israeli is evacuated from Palestine in the airplane of President Bush," Muhammad Abdel-Al, spokesman and leader of the Hamas-allied Popular Resistance Committees terror group told WND.

Abdel-Al's group took responsibility for the rocket explosion that left three of the injured – including a woman, her young daughter and another child – in serious condition, while two others were in moderate condition and at least 11 suffered minor wounds.

Abdel-Al said today's striking rocket was launched from Dagit, a former Jewish community in northern Gaza that was evacuated and dismantled during Israel's retreat from the territory three years ago.

He called his terror group's use of Dagit a "symbolic act" and proof Palestinian terror attacks are successful.

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"Our launching from Dagit is a sign of success in the Palestinian resistance. Mark my words, just as we liberated Dagit, so we will liberate Ashkelon, Jaffa, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa," Abdel-Al said.

The terrorist spokesman also said the rocket attack was intended to serve as a message to Bush:

"The state you are supporting is losing. You (Bush) are celebrating the 60th anniversary, but we are making everything to be sure this is the last year the Zionists will celebrate their anniversary. Islam is winning. The resistance is winning. This is our message to your president who is desecrating Palestine," Abdel-Al told WND.

The rocket fired was likely a Grad-type Katyusha rocket, which can travel the nearly 12 miles from the Gaza Strip to Ashkelon.

Since Israel's evacuation, carried out under heavy rocket bombardment, Palestinian rocket capabilities in the Gaza Strip have been continually upgraded. Palestinians previously fired Qassam rockets, which can travel between one and five miles, depending on the make and model.

The Ashkelon shopping center hit today usually attracts about 10,000 shoppers per day. The rocket smashed into the top floor of the mall in a section that houses offices and clinics, ripping through the roof and causing heavy damage to the building.

Among those suffering from serious injuries are an 8-year-old girl and her mother, who reportedly are both suffering from severe head trauma.

The attack came after Bush touched down at Israel's international airport, where he was greeted by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, President Shimon Peres, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

Barak and several Knesset members decided to forego a dinner with Bush, instead traveling to Ashkelon to visit the site of the attack.

Upon arriving at the scene, Knesset Member Eli Yishai of Israel's Shas party, which is in Olmert's coalition, said, "We should not have gotten into this situation, and it is time for us to speak less and act more."

Yuval Steinitz of the Likud opposition party told reporters "the government of Israel, which has time and time again been warned of the foot-dragging against Hamas, cannot wash its hands of this. Instead of negotiating an imaginary peace, it is time for the government to instruct the IDF to decide the real war."

Speaking earlier today before learning of the attack in Ashkelon, Olmert said "we will not be able to tolerate continuous attacks on innocent civilians. We hope we will not have to act against Hamas in other ways with the military power that Israel hasn't yet started to use in a serious manner in order to stop it."

 

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To interview Aaron Klein, contact M. Sliwa Public Relations by e-mail, or call 973-272-2861 or 212-202-4453.

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