Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., July 28, 2008 Tamuz 25, 5768 | | Israel Time: 23:03 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Comments:  139
Last update - 00:16 28/07/2008
Israeli troops in Hebron kill Hamas man behind Dimona attack
By Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Israel, Hebron, Palestinians

Israeli security forces killed a top Hamas militant wanted over a deadly suicide attack on the southern city of Dimona earlier this year, during an operation in the West Bank city of Hebron on Sunday.

Special unit troops and Border Police officers fired a shell at the house of Shihab al-Natsheh, after he refused to surrender and opened fire at troops, local residents said. A Hamas statement said the militant clashed with soldiers for 12 hours before being killed.

An IDF spokeswoman said soldiers clashed with a group of gunmen in the
c
Advertisement
ity, killing a militant, but declined to give further details.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert praised the Border Police and Shin Bet combateers for carrying out the raid. "I can't go into details, but I will stress that this was quite a successful operation," Olmert told ministers during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.

Natsheh was an explosives engineer wanted over a suicide attack that killed an Israeli woman in the southern city of Dimona in February and had been seeking to arrest him for several months.

Palestinian security officials identified al-Natsheh as a 25-year-old militant from Hamas and said he was wanted by Israel for involvement in suicide bombings.

Hamas' armed wing, the Izz el-Din Brigade, vowed to avenge Natsheh's killing. "Our response will be swift and painful," the group said in a statement.

Palestinians said the IDF blocked all roads leading to Hebron, preventing anybody from leaving or entering the city.

Israel regularly raids the West Bank searching for wanted militants. Israel and Hamas are observing a cease-fire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. But the agreement does not apply in the West Bank, ruled by moderate President Mahmoud Abbas.

Earlier this month, Haaretz reported that the IDF's Central Command and the Shin Bet security service were making a concerted effort to shut down the dawa, Hamas' civilian infrastructure, in the West Bank town of Nablus.

As part of this effort, the IDF closed down a large number of Islamic charities, confiscated their property, searched their computers and seized documents from their offices.

Major operations of this type were carried out in Hebron, Qalqilyah and Ramallah, and a similar operation began in Nablus two weeks ago.

Also on Sunday, Palestinian security forces loyal to Abbas detained 15 Hamas activists, including two officials, in the West Bank city of Tul Karm on Sunday, Palestinian security officials said.

They gave no reason for the arrests, which came amid high tension in the Gaza Strip following a mysterious weekend car bombing that killed six people and sparked the toughest Hamas crackdown against its rivals in months.

Related articles:
  • Hamas claims Dimona attack, says bombers came from Hebron
  • Dimona bombing victim's son: Mom was to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary
  • Defense officials: Crackdown on Hamas civilian projects unjustified
  • Security sources: Israeli prisons are training grounds for Hamas terrorists
  • Israel fears scathing U.S. report on its West Bank policies
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Internal fighting
    Human rights groups say torture is widespread in Palestinian lockups.
    Danger looms
    Pentagon chief Robert Gates warns: War with Iran would be 'disastrous.'
      1.   IDF 09:38  |  Imad 27/07/08
      2.   How can ever be peace and Israel keep killing 09:59  |  gus 27/07/08
      3.   Nobody respects an Uncle Tom 10:59  |  Clickfool 27/07/08
      4.   Hamas man killed 11:04  |  SR 27/07/08
      5.   Bravo IDF, excellent work, a top islamofascist less 11:44  |  maurice 27/07/08
      6.   SR 11:44  |  Imad 27/07/08
      7.   right politicy: no prisoners any more 11:49  |  DISRAELI 27/07/08
      8.   Hamas activist. 11:53  |  David Nigel Braham 27/07/08
      9.   Crocodile tears for dead serpent 11:59  |  Ilan 27/07/08
      10.   Loyal to Hamas ? 12:00  |  Recep 27/07/08
      11.   Peace with the Arabs ? 12:14  |  Jean Van Daem 27/07/08
      12.   Israel had done the right thing 12:41  |  Joey 27/07/08
      13.   Very good people were murdered in Dimona 12:47  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 27/07/08
      14.   Imad: Stolen lands? Check again! 12:54  |  Michael Jacobs 27/07/08
      15.   To No. 1 - Israel A Peace-Loving Country 12:56  |  Khaled From Lebanon 27/07/08
      16.   #14, "legitimately won in defensive wars" 13:10  |  Fritz T. 27/07/08
      17.   Fritz T 13:21  |  rich 27/07/08
      18.   14 Michael Jacobs,you`ve got the facts wrong! 13:26  |  lakshmi 27/07/08
      19.   13 Shlomo of Tel Aviv,such mendacity!You know very well that it 13:28  |  lakshmi 27/07/08
      20.   Fritz T.: Theft of sovereign lands 13:29  |  Michael Jacobs 27/07/08
      21.   Lakshmi seems to be an expert at stealing other`s land 13:36  |  ALex 27/07/08
      22.   just a foot soldier 13:48  |  paulo2005 27/07/08
      23.   Fritz legitimacy 13:58  |  SG 27/07/08
      24.   To #19 Smarty Pants Answer a few questions 13:58  |  Karmi`el Kid 27/07/08
      25.   Brave man 14:08  |  Jon 27/07/08
      26.   #13 Shlomo 14:08  |  Muhyddine Ayoubi 27/07/08
      27.   lakshmi: A nation like all others 14:13  |  Michael Jacobs 27/07/08
      28.   All 14:17  |  Muhyddine Ayoubi 27/07/08
      29.   #26 Muhyddine 14:20  |  Alex 27/07/08
      30.   Lakshmi Justifies Killings 14:20  |  Ruth 27/07/08
      31.   Clickfool Misses the point .... Live by the sword ....... 14:25  |  Craig 27/07/08
      32.   To Muhyddine Ayoubi from Lebanon 14:34  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 27/07/08
      33.   That`s what Israel should have done to Kuntar way back when 14:35  |  Conroy 27/07/08
      34.   To Alex 14:37  |  Muhyddine Ayoubi 27/07/08
      35.   #24 karmi"l kid=== you really have hit the nail 15:16  |  FLUFFY 27/07/08
      36.   No cease-fire in the West Bank-rather convenient for Abbas 15:28  |  Aphemia 27/07/08
      37.   Lakshmi forget ME facts, Ahmadabad yeday is much more interesting 15:38  |  Genuine Tosefta 27/07/08
      38.   Muhyddine Ayoubi: Whose land? 15:49  |  Michael Jacobs 27/07/08
      39.   Had olmert really known? 15:52  |  Arie 27/07/08
      40.   This wasn`t a `man` it was a multiple murderer 15:53  |  x-ray 27/07/08
      41.   Lakshmi - Indians living in some houses stollen from Muslims 16:18  |  No To Terror 27/07/08
      42.   Occupied Arabs are guilty until proved innocent by Israel.... 16:28  |  POP 27/07/08
      43.   #1 imad-opening response 16:52  |  FLUFFY 27/07/08
      44.   21 Alex & some other zionists,Alex India is very much inside the 17:14  |  lakshmi 27/07/08
      45.   Clickfool # 3 _ They All Respect Uncle Moishe 17:28  |  Eli 27/07/08
      46.   IMAD KHALED Lebanon.DID You really expect the mass murderer 17:30  |  PETER SM 27/07/08
      47.   Gus-Jews truly believe Arabs don`t want peace 17:30  |  Sam 27/07/08
      48.   This is so depressing 17:31  |  American Christian 27/07/08
      49.   PoP (#42) Yes we are living in the STONE age 17:35  |  Gil 27/07/08
      50.   Lakshmi (#18) Get over it 17:38  |  Gil 27/07/08
      51.   #46 Peter SM 17:54  |  Frank 27/07/08
      52.   #1 Imad - Not a nice way to talk 18:05  |  * BEN JABO 27/07/08
      53.   #2 Gus - The terrorist didn`t go through legal process 18:11  |  * BEN JABO 27/07/08
      54.   israel lives on terrorism not peace 18:24  |  g 27/07/08
      55.   #2 Not Israel`s fault if terrorists don`t want to be taken alive 18:28  |  DesMnsDave 27/07/08
      56.   #3 Or a bloviating exaggerator 18:30  |  DesMnsDave 27/07/08
      57.   #1 - Imad 18:33  |  Maurice 27/07/08
      58.   Lakshmi have you already Googled Ahmedabad? 18:37  |  Genuine Tosefta 27/07/08
      59.   #16 Your Logic is on the Fritz 18:37  |  DesMnsDave 27/07/08
      60.   #6 - Imad 18:38  |  Maurice 27/07/08
      61.   #24 Great response! 18:44  |  DesMnsDave 27/07/08
      62.   "Moderate" Abbas congratulates Kuntar`s family. 18:46  |  Steve 27/07/08
      63.   #44 Lackey, it`s not a "land grab" when the land is paid for 18:52  |  DesMnsDave 27/07/08
      64.   37 Genuine Tosefta,I answered this question yesterday,I believe 18:54  |  lakshmi 27/07/08
      65.   #2 gus 19:16  |  vik 27/07/08
      66.   Israeli troops in Hebron kill Hamas man behind Dimona attack 19:19  |  Steve 27/07/08
      67.   response to 25 you romanticize murderers 19:57  |  bronxite10 27/07/08
      68.   Steve #66 -- what rights should be granted to terrorists? 20:02  |  vik 27/07/08
      69.   PLACING SOLDIERS, POLICE, CITIZENS @ RISK TO `ARREST` TERRORIST.. 20:05  |  David P 27/07/08