Hamas: Israeli leftists encouraged terrorism

Terrorists imprisoned in Israel said in a series of interviews released this week that the actions of Israeli leftists helped encourage Hamas to carry out suicide bombings and that Palestinians view Israel's planned withdrawal from Gaza as a reward for terror.

"The Israeli left-wing and your 'peace-camp' are what ultimately encouraged us to continue to carry out suicide bombings. We tried, through our attacks, to create fragmentation and dissension within Israeli society, and the left wing encouraged us in that regard," said an imprisoned Hamas terrorist in one of many interviews for a new book, "The Seventh War" by Israeli journalists Avi Yissocharov and Amos Harel.

Yissocharov told Israel's Channel 1's "New Evening" program last night Hamas leaders told him repeatedly that it was the Israeli left wing that encouraged them to continue to carry out terror attacks.

Many have blamed the Israeli peace camp and the Clinton White House, which sought Israeli territorial concessions for Palestinian promises of peace, built Arafat from a guerrilla warrior to a legitimate leader and ignored years of PLO incitement against Israel, for the continued attacks against Israeli civilians.

Yissocharov also said the Palestinians view Sharon's disengagement plan as a victory for terrorism. He outlined the general consensus among those he interviewed:

"The disengagement from Gaza is proof of our victory. The fact that Sharon is willing to withdraw unconditionally is basically equivalent to raising a white flag and retreating. Only by force are we able to teach the other side what to do."

The views seem to concur with a confidential memo written by Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahar, the Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, which WorldNetDaily recently obtained.

The memo reveals that after Israel vacates, Hamas plans to become a dominating political force in Gaza.

"The movement will ... demonstrate a street presence in an active and powerful manner and will strive to form requisite alliances in a way that will guarantee, on the one hand, that the PA makes no decisions separately, and on the other hand, continues taking care of the people's needs," the memo states.

Al-Zahar says terror attacks against Israelis will continue even after the withdrawal takes place. Hamas will "preserve the weapon of armed struggle and not relinquish it or give it away under any circumstances."

In al-Zahar's analysis, Sharon is rewarding terrorism by withdrawing: "The withdrawal is an achievement for our people and for the intifada and is considered the result of the victims they sacrificed. ..."

Hamas must continue to ensure "the enemy's withdrawal must be unconditional," states the memo. The withdrawal confirms that terrorism has paid off, writes al-Zahar.

"The withdrawal, if it is implemented, is an important achievement by the Palestinian people, its intifada and armed struggle, its determination and great sacrifice, and confirms the willingness, correctness, and usefulness of employing an armed struggle and its ability to attain political objectives."