'Peace partner' orders terrorists to disrupt truce

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House last November (Courtesy Carrie Devorah)

JAFFA, Israel – Militants from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah organization received "understandings" they are to disrupt a cease-fire Israel agreed to last week with the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, WND has learned.

Hamas is attempting to abide by the truce while Fatah's declared military wing, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terrorist group, took responsibility for firing at least two rockets from Gaza today.

U.S. and Israeli policy considers Abbas to be "moderate."

A senior source in Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades told WND his group received "understandings" from Abbas' officials that Fatah wants to see the cease-fire "collapse."

The senior Brigades source hinted a top Abbas official gave the Brigades specific instructions to launch Gaza-based attacks against Israel to precipitate an Israeli military response that would initiate a cycle of Hamas reprisal attacks that would, in turn, scuttle the cease-fire.

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The Brigades source refused to say which Abbas official may have given his group instructions, but WND understood from informed sources it was Tayir Abdul Al-Rahim, the secretary-general of Abbas' office, who communicated specific instructions to the Brigades to shoot rockets at Israeli population centers.

Today the Israel Defense Forces confirmed two Qassam rockets were launched from Gaza into southern Israel. The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades took responsibility for the attacks.

According to Brigades sources, three Qassams were fired from Gaza today.

Earlier this week, WND quoted a top PA official complaining the truce between Hamas and Israel enhances the position of Hamas and amounts to the Jewish state's tacit recognition of the terrorist group's control of the Gaza Strip.

Officially, the PA, headed by its president, Mahmoud Abbas, endorsed the Gaza truce agreement, which went into effect last Thursday, hours after Hamas and other local Palestinian groups took responsibility for firing nearly 30 mortars and rockets from Gaza into nearby Jewish communities.

But unofficially, the PA has been expressing its strong opposition to the truce to Israeli and American diplomats, explaining the cease-fire puts Hamas in a more powerful position.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice "sold us out," said the top PA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"It is not possible that Israel agreed to the truce with Hamas without U.S. approval," he said. "Israel has now negotiated indirectly with Hamas and is doing business with them. Hamas is the dealmaker and power broker."

The PA official's main complaint was not that Israel was negotiating with a terror group but that the Jewish state, he argued, was enhancing Hamas at the expense of the PA.

The official said the PA took particular offense at talk of eventually expanding the truce to the West Bank, which until now has been considered the territory of Abbas' Fatah organization.

He said if Hamas was seen as the main power broker in the West Bank, it would be a "disaster" for Fatah and the PA.

The official described the mood at Abbas' headquarters following the truce as "one of mourning."

It's our Tisha B'Av," he said.

Tisha B'Av is the Jewish fast day known as the "saddest day" in the Jewish calendar. It commemorates tragedies that befell the Jewish people, including the fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the First and Second Jewish Temples.

Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip since last summer, when it expelled the U.S.-backed Fatah organization from the territory.

The Gaza cease-fire officially went into effect last week. Israel has said it will hold off all military operations in Gaza in exchange for a complete cessation of Palestinian rocket attacks and violence.

Hamas, for its part, reportedly instructed its members to refrain from carrying out any attacks.

Israel this week is expected to ease its blockade of Gaza by allowing a larger number of shipments to enter and may open border crossings closed in recent months.

Israeli security officials have warned in briefings to the Knesset that Hamas would use the truce to rearm itself and strengthen its forces for an ultimate Israeli military incursion into Gaza. The officials said more Israeli troops would likely die fighting in Gaza, because of the off-time Hamas is likely to use to prepare itself for battle.

In a briefing to the Knesset last weekend, Yuval Diskin, director of Israel's Shin Bet Security Services, identified a recent surge in terrorist activity and arms smuggling in the Gaza Strip. He also said Hamas stepped up the pace of training its gunmen and attempted several major attacks in recent days that were foiled by Israel.

Cease-fire 'victory for resistance'

Last week, WND quoted Gaza-based terrorist leaders calling the cease-fire a "victory" for Palestinian "resistance." The terrorist announced the truce will be used by local terrorist groups to re-arm and prepare for battle against the Jewish state.

"We are humiliating the Israelis. They kept threatening to make a huge operation in Gaza, but they were the ones who begged us to go into the cease-fire," said Muhammad Abdel-Al, a leader and spokesman for the Hamas-allied, Gaza-based Popular Resistance Committees terror group.

Along with Hamas, the Committees took responsibility for firing a massive onslaught of rockets and mortars just before the truce was agreed upon.

"[The rocket attacks] prove we are not going into this cease-fire from a weak point but from a point of force and power," Abdel-Al said.

Abu Abdullah, considered one of the most important operational members of Hamas' so-called military wing, told WND his group will use the truce to rearm itself.

"The hudna (temporary truce) will be used for more training, arming. ... We don't have any intention to stop from bringing in weapons from the Sinai into Gaza," said Abdullah.

He called the cease-fire "one more sign of the collapse of the Israeli army, that this big Israeli army with the so-called best air force in the world didn't succeed to stop the rockets, and they accepted the truce."

The term "hudna," dates back to Islam's founding in the 7th century, when Muhammad declared a 10-year hudna with the tribe that controlled Mecca. Later, after re-arming, Muhammad attacked the tribe, claiming it had broken the truce. In 1994, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat invoked Muhammad's hudna when he justified the launch of the second intifada during the Oslo peace process.

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy noted in 2003 that Hamas had agreed to 10 cease-fires in the previous decade and returned freshly armed after each one.

"It is important to note," the institute said, "that all cease-fire offers have been presented at a time when Hamas needed a moment to step back and regroup after an organizationally exhausting confrontation with a more powerful foe (either Israel or the PA)."

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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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Previous stories:

'U.S., Israel made Hamas power brokers'

Terrorists boast truce 'victory for resistance'

Hamas scoffs at discussed Israeli incursion

We'll keep firing until every Jew climbs back into the sh---- hole'

'Peace partner' attempts massive border explosion

As Hamas negotiates truce, 'peace partner' attacks Israel

'U.S. partner' carries out deadly border raid

Israel to arm terrorists?

Hamas using U.S. weapons

Hamas lists seized U.S. weapons

U.S. aid to equip Palestinian militia

U.S. contemplating more weapons to Palestinians

Terrorists claim CIA files seized

Hamas flaunts seized American weapons

Hamas seizes U.S. armored personnel carriers

Terror leader: We'll obtain U.S. weaponry

Terror chief received U.S. assault rifles

U.S. offers Palestinians more weapons

U.S. plan to fund militias backed

U.S. to fund Hamas terror cells?

Officials: Hamas infiltrated U.S.-funded militias

Hamas to join U.S. funded militias?

Rice summit will lead to Palestinian state?

Secret talks handing West Bank to Abbas