Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., August 14, 2007 Av 30, 5767 | | Israel Time: 02:26 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Print Edition
Diplomacy
Defense Real Estate Arts & Leisure Jewish World National Sports Advertising
Magazine Week's End Opinion Business Rosner's Domain Anglo File Travel
Q&A
A security officer surveying the scene of Friday's shooting attack in Jerusalem's Old City. (AP)
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 18:02 13/08/2007
Israeli Arab organization claims responsibility for J'lem shooting
By Yoav Stern and Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent

An unknown Israeli Arab organization "Galilee freedom brigades" claimed responsibility on Sunday for a shooting attack that took place in the Old City of Jerusalem on Friday.

On Friday morning, Ahmed Khatib, an Israeli Arab from Kfar Manda in the Galilee, grabbed a security guard's weapon, shot him, and was later killed in the ensuing shoot-out which left ten people wounded.

The Palestinian news agency Ma'an published a message received from
th
Advertisement
e organization, which said that the shooting was planned to avenge "the assassination of Shahid Mohammad Khatib from Kfar Manda on April 18th, 2004."

On that date, Border Police shot and killed Khatib in a shoot-out at Beit Rimon Junction in the Galilee after Khatib and a second Israeli Arab had opened fire at them.

The message claiming responsibility made one mistake. Mohammad Khatib was not from Kfar Manda but rather Kfar Kana. His partner in the shoot-out, however, was a resident of Kfar Manda.

Nasser al-Laham, editor in chief of the Ma'an news agency, told Haaretz on Sunday that this is the third time that he has received a message from the organization from inside Israel.

In the message, the organization said that this was not their first action. They also denied any ties to Palestinian organizations such as the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Islamic Jihad or Fatah. They did not deny any ties to Hamas.

On Sunday, a film of the shoot-out, which took place in the Old City's crowded pedestrian walkway, was released. In the film, Khatib can be clearly seen following the security guards through the Old City's narrow streets. He approached one of the guards, pulled the guard's pistol out of its holster and ran.

The guards chased him, and at some point one of them grabbed him and was shot. Khatib continued to run away, and a gun battle ensued between him and the other guard, who eventually killed him. Khatib is then seen on the ground, as the final scenes of the shooting were not shown in the released film.

Arab MK and Deputy Knesset Speaker Ahmed Tibi criticized the fact that the end of the incident, during which Khatib was killed, was removed from the footage.

Referring to witness accounts that the guard kept shooting Khatib after it was clear he had been killed, Tibi said, "In light of the accounts made that the guards 'confirmed the kill', the end of the film must be shown. The fact that it was not shown raises questions."
Bookmark to del.icio.us
Buyer beware!
The warrant for the arrest of Boaz Yona was issued a week after the bird had flown.
Political interaction
Internet sites like YouTube allow surfers to interact with policymakers and propose bills.
  1.   Will Gideon Levy Distort This Shooting Too? 11:19  |  J of Hollywood 13/08/07
  2.   This is very, very bad 11:20  |  Slibovitz 13/08/07
  3.   As Usual 11:49  |  Clickfool 13/08/07
  4.   A very sad day when Israeli Arabs sanction murder in what name??? 11:52  |  De 13/08/07
  5.   Condolences to Yuli Tamir,another "Naqba victim" to be added to 11:54  |  Absolute Sweden 13/08/07
  6.   Where`s the ending of the film? 12:06  |  idf_sergeant 13/08/07
  7.   Clicfool,it took Brit cangoroo court 30 minutes to sentence 12:09  |  Absolute Sweden 13/08/07
  8.   Who asked for revenge 12:10  |  Wael 13/08/07
  9.   As usual, #3 -- why are you so Fool-ish? 12:12  |  idf_sergeant 13/08/07
  10.   Who will claim responsibility for Olmert? 12:13  |  Kate 13/08/07
  11.   To Clickfool 12:16  |  CGS 13/08/07
  12.   #1. J of Hollywood. Got a problem? Spell it out then. 12:17  |  zmogus 13/08/07
  13.   Genuine questions 12:36  |  Joseph 13/08/07
  14.   Arguing With Fools 12:45  |  dyinglikeflies 13/08/07
  15.   Strategies of wording: "Cherchez-le-Hamas" 12:54  |  zmogus 13/08/07
  16.   It is time to make more Arabs refugees, get ready UNRWA! 12:54  |  Genuine Tosefta 13/08/07
  17.   to Joseph - London 13:07  |  Andrei 13/08/07
  18.   12Zmogus,regardless of posters here do look at Gideon Levy`s 13:11  |  lakshmi 13/08/07
  19.   WE MUST CONFIRM EVERY KILL 13:35  |  don 13/08/07
  20.   This is getting serious 13:43  |  indrajaya 13/08/07
  21.   Credibility 13:54  |  F. Natour 13/08/07
  22.   #20 Kahane was a prophet in his own time 14:08  |  * BEN JABO 13/08/07
  23.   Ahmed Tibi criticized 14:25  |  Gene 13/08/07
  24.   # 20, FAKE INDRAJAYA ALERT 14:42  |  indrajaya 13/08/07
  25.   There is only 1 solution: Time to vote MOSHE FEIGLIN for PM 14:42  |  Yehuda Maccabbee 13/08/07
  26.   We must give up Gallil for Peace - everybody knows it! 14:43  |  Yossi Beilin 13/08/07
  27.   NAKBA 2 COMING UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 14:49  |  THE LIBRARIAN 13/08/07
  28.   Since when is confirming the kill bad? 14:56  |  RA 13/08/07
  29.   #24 indrajaya 15:03  |  * BEN JABO 13/08/07
  30.   percentages 15:08  |  izaak 13/08/07
  31.   Lackey #18 15:11  |  GABE 1 13/08/07
  32.   Yossi Beilin and TZFONIT. 15:12  |  GABE! 13/08/07
  33.   A Pathetic funeral 15:15  |  justice 13/08/07
  34.   Any Anti-Israel post is let through here 15:17  |  Terminator 13/08/07
  35.   27Librarian,about history repeating itself,perhaps in more ways 15:20  |  lakshmi 13/08/07
  36.   Israel should trade herself for peace 15:20  |  W. European Coward 13/08/07
  37.   Clickfool (third attempt) 15:20  |  Nik Miller 13/08/07
  38.   # 29, BEN JABO 15:20  |  indrajaya 13/08/07
  39.   To zmogus 15:22  |  Gene 13/08/07
  40.   To # 16 - Genuine Tosefa 15:24  |  Dagma 13/08/07
  41.   To #1. Will Gideon Levy Distort...? Sure, he will. And A.Hass too 15:28  |  Vittorio 13/08/07
  42.   No more Mr. Nice Guy 15:31  |  Dr David I. Gross 13/08/07
  43.   Clickfool #3. You should apologize for your wrong statement #3 15:35  |  Vittorio 13/08/07
  44.   everybody loves klickfool 15:40  |  Simon the J 13/08/07
  45.   I condemn this act... 15:41  |  Rami 13/08/07
  46.   Some people purposely blind themselves from truth and evidence 16:04  |  Richard S 13/08/07
  47.   Time for Transfer 16:06  |  Ron 13/08/07
  48.   #2 "Relating" to someone who wants to murder you and your family 16:23  |  Chaim 13/08/07
  49.   To the entire Israeli Arab community 16:25  |  bat yam 13/08/07
  50.   The cycle of violence.... 16:28  |  Tess 13/08/07
  51.   #45 Rami 16:38  |  peter 13/08/07
  52.   Tess #51 16:50  |  GABE1 13/08/07
  53.   I am yet to hear the members of Knesset representing Arab parties 16:53  |  Raaya 13/08/07
  54.   Where Have All The Flowers Gone 16:53  |  GABE1 13/08/07
  55.   Rami 16:55  |  GZLives 13/08/07
  56.   build a new wall 16:55  |  Mike 13/08/07
  57.   #45 Rami, I respect you 16:56  |  JewishHeart 13/08/07
  58.   Israeli Arabs condemn 16:59  |  Mahmoud 13/08/07
  59.   #2 comment Silbovitz 17:01  |  JewishHeart 13/08/07
  60.   Why is it that only Rami condemns this act, the 17:05  |  Raanan 13/08/07
  61.   COMING CLOSER THE TRANSFER OF ALL ARABS 17:06  |  paul harris 13/08/07
  62.   1000 Arabs saluting a "Terrorist" in Manda ! 17:09  |  Alberto Cohen 13/08/07
  63.   Here we go again 17:18  |  Mark 13/08/07
  64.   GideonLevy 17:20  |  Adam 13/08/07
  65.   Rami #45 17:22  |  GABE1 13/08/07
  66.   Coopted by Hizzbulla 17:25  |  Jane 13/08/07
  67.   "Galilee Freedom Brigades" are sponsored by Iran. 17:26  |  Mark Greenbaum 13/08/07
  68.   It is encouraging 17:28  |  Yonatan 13/08/07
  69.   Gabe- Exactly my point... 17:29  |  Tess 13/08/07
  70.   to # 60 17:38  |  Rami 13/08/07
  71.   To Mahmoud, #58- Relax 17:43  |  dyinglikeflies 13/08/07
  72.   #60 Raanan 17:45  |  peter 13/08/07
  73.   @20, indra, domestic intifada is the best. we will 17:53  |  vladimir 13/08/07
  74.   This is a first step towards a GLO 17:55  |  Joel Stein 13/08/07
  75.   5th column, more to come 17:59  |  Tulip 13/08/07
  76.   to # 57 18:03  |  Rami 13/08/07
  77.   JewishHeart and christian muslems 18:03  |  Tulip 13/08/07
  78.   Gabe- Exactly my point...#2 18:05  |  Tess 13/08/07
  79.   to # 62 18:06  |  Rami 13/08/07
  80.   Deport Them to Gazastan 18:07  |  Solon 13/08/07
  81.   to 51 and 55 18:10  |  Rami 13/08/07