Israel Matzav

Hamas missile would threaten most Israelis

Last week, I reported on Iran supplying Hezbullah with the Zelzal-2 missile, a missile that can reach Tel Aviv from Southern Lebanon.

Now, WorldNetDaily.com is reporting that Hamas is developing a new, electronically guided missile that will place most major Israeli population centers within firing range, according to Abu Abdullah, a leader of Hamas' so-called military wing.

Abduallah said that his group would not immediately carry out rocket attacks, but that Hamas is acquiring new weapons in preparation for the possibility of resuming anti-Israel operations should a truce that the group claims to abide by fall apart. Abdullah hinted at possible Iranian assistance to Hamas' missile program.

Abdullah claimed that the new missiles will be able to reach "every target in 1948 occupied Palestine (Israel) and that from Gaza we will be able to hit the center of Israel even if the transfer of these missiles to the West Bank (which runs alongside major Israeli cities) is for some reason interrupted."

Regarding possible assistance from Iran, Abdullah replied, "Hamas as an Islamic movement and Muslims have the right to receive help from any Muslim power all over the world. This is part of Islamic tradition and the Quran. Hamas has excellent relations with Hezbollah and Iran, but we are not in the business of telling reporters whether Hamas has received military help from Iran or from Hezbollah."

Abdullah claimed that Israel has been deliberately minimizing his group's rocket capabilities and stated that Hamas eventually would break the cease-fire to which it agreed last February.

"The people who made the (Gaza) withdrawal don't want to talk now about the so-called risks."

Read the whole thing.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:05 PM