Israel Matzav

No love lost for Said Siam

The Jerusalem Post's Khaled Abu Toameh reports that Said Siam, who was liquidated by Israel on Thursday, opposed reconciliation with Fatah, and was reviled by the 'good terrorists.'

The Fatah leadership in Ramallah considered Siam its No. 1 enemy, especially after he announced that Hamas had seized documents in a formerly Fatah-controlled security headquarters that proved the PA had been collaborating with Israel against Hamas and other Palestinian factions.

Siam also enraged the Fatah leaders by threatening to publish documents that were seized by Hamas and showed that the PA security forces had been spying on the PA leadership and some Arab countries.

As in the case of Nizar Rayyan, another senior Hamas representative killed by Israel during Operation Cast Lead, it was hard on Thursday to find words of sympathy for Siam among Fatah members or the PA leadership in the West Bank.

On the contrary, a number of Fatah and PA officials privately expressed relief over the killing of Siam and said that his absence from the scene would pave the way for reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah.

Siam was seen as the No. 2 Hamas man in the Gaza Strip, and some of his supporters considered him the future successor to Haniyeh.

***

Many comments posted by Palestinians on Fatah-controlled Web sites expressed joy over the assassination.

The Palpress News Agency, which is run by followers of former Fatah security chief Muhammad Dahlan, published dozens of talkbacks in which readers openly rejoiced.

The agency quoted "reliable sources" in the Gaza Strip as saying that one of Siam's bodyguards had tipped the Israelis about his whereabouts. The sources said that Hamas militiamen executed the bodyguard shortly after the assassination.

Some of the talkbacks read as follows:

Falastinyah: He [Siam] was a swine. To hell with him! We hope that the remaining pigs would follow him.

Lovers of [slain Fatah operative] Samih Madhoun: Justice has finally been done!

Muhammad: He got what he deserved. May Allah punish him for his deeds.

Ahmed: We will never forgive him for his gruesome crimes against Fatah. Apparently Allah turned him into a martyr to absolve him of his many sins.

Victims of Said Siam: We won't forget the 700 Fatah people who were killed by Siam.

Zeer55: We love you, Ehud Barak. This is really a great hit, Mr. Barak, and we fully support you. Please make us happy by going after the rest of them.

Son of the North: To hell, you murderer. We hope that it would now be the turn of the despicable Mahmoud Zahar.

Abu Majd: This man does not deserve to be called a martyr. Siam's hands are stained with the blood of many innocent Muslims.

Did the Israelis assassinate Siam to help the 'good terrorists' from Fatah? Maybe not outright, but I'm sure that it's in the back of everyone's mind. On the other hand, there's a good argument to be made that this entire operation is designed to help Fatah, which Israel, the US and Egypt would like to reinstall as the Gaza Strip's ruler.

All these nasty quips about Siam did not stop Jimmy the Dhimmi from meeting with him.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:33 AM