Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., February 23, 2008 Adar1 17, 5768 | | Israel Time: 16:22 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 14:42 16/02/2008 Hamas airs confessions of Fatah members in plot to kill Haniyeh By The Associated Press Tags: assassination plot, Fatah  Gaza's Hamas rulers on Saturday accused their rivals in the West Bank of being behind an alleged plot to assassinate senior Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh, and said they are less inclined now to try to mend the deepening rift between the two political camps. In the past, Hamas repeatedly asked moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to resume contacts that were broken off after Hamas seized control of Gaza by force in June and ousted forces loyal to Abbas. The Palestinian president, who runs the West Bank, has said he will only talk to Hamas if it steps aside in Gaza. At a Gaza City news conference Saturday, Hamas broadcast videotaped confessions of alleged suspects, including several who said they received instructions from Tayeb Abdel Rahim, a senior Abbas aide, to assassinate Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas. Advertisement Abbas' office dismissed the allegations as fiction and denounced Hamas as an outlaw movement. One of the alleged suspects, Nafez Dabaki, said in the video that he had been offered 50,000 Jordanian dinars ($70,500) if he blew himself up at a mosque where Haniyeh was praying. Dabaki said he was asked three times to carry out the attack, but didn't go through with it. Another alleged assailant, Mohammed Kheil, said he had been asked to kill Haniyeh at a public rally. Kheil said he carried 25 kilos of explosives in a backpack, but he was spooked by security guards at the rally and left. Said Siyam, a senior Hamas official, told the news conference that Hamas is increasingly less inclined to engage in dialogue with Abbas and his aides. "How can we talk about dialogue with this group, after we discovered this conspiracy which received the blessing of senior leaders who are sitting in the Mukataa [Abbas' headquarters] in Ramallah," Siyam said. He noted that Arab leaders have been urging Hamas and Abbas to work out their differences. But at this stage, we cannot ignore this conspiracy and we cannot show any mercy for those who were involved in this conspiracy, Siyam said. In any case, it appears unlikely Abbas would ease his conditions for resuming contacts with Hamas. Efforts to set up a national unity government were short-lived in the past, and Abbas would risk solid international support if he were to negotiate a new power-sharing deal with the Islamic militants who are shunned by much of the world. Responding to Saturday's allegations, Abbas' office said that Hamas lost its credibility when it cheated and spilled Palestinian blood, and violated all national and moral values, a reference to the Gaza takeover. "Its lies are not going to convince anyone, and instead are another sign that Hamas is not only an outlaw movement, but finds itself outside our morals and traditions," the statement said. Related articles: Meshal welcomes Saudi bid to broker Hamas-Fatah talks Press source: Egypt rules out Fatah-Hamas talks in near future ANALYSIS: Olmert assassination plot leaves PA caught off guard Bookmark to del.icio.us   Sderot under fire Iron Dome system found to be helpless against Qassams. Hitler slur Actor Will Smith receives damages over alleged praise for Hitler.   1.   Let`s get this straight... 14:17  |  Esther 16/02/08   2.   "Morals"ha ha ha AND "Traditions"ha ha ha 14:27  |  Alan 16/02/08   3.   The Great Palestinian Revolution and Russian Revolution are alike 15:27  |  Vittorio 16/02/08   4.   Relax, only a change of command among militants. This is how they 15:38  |  do it. 16/02/08   5.   All the news that is fit to "Fiddle".. 15:59  |  Stephen. 16/02/08   6.   When the masters speak 16:17  |  Baz Mann 16/02/08   7.   since ISR/US do not recognize UN any lngr 16:25  |  bozhidar balkas 16/02/08   8.   Fatah is not different than Hamas. 17:42  |  Jean Van Daem 16/02/08   9.   Abbas is a savage liar 18:13  |  Mazen 16/02/08   10.   abbas has been a collaborator right from the start,in fact he was 18:37  |  lakshmi 16/02/08   11.   Fatah kicked off the festivities 18:43  |  Mark Lincoln 16/02/08   12.   Quarrels/battles 19:05  |  Paul 16/02/08   13.   144 virgins? 19:26  |  Baz Mann 16/02/08   14.   Very funny! 19:30  |  utagawa 16/02/08   15.   IsraelUS pushed Abbas to kill Hamas, they had no choice 19:46  |  Steve Katz 16/02/08   16.   "Show trials" complete with confessions 20:26  |  how Stalinist! 16/02/08   17.   Doesn`t matter who 20:38  |  real vision 16/02/08   18.   Oh Steve, Oh Katz! Don`t invent legeneds, silly boy! 21:01  |  Vittorio 16/02/08   19.   usual "news" from nowhere. 21:09  |  p. mc goohan 16/02/08   20.   The deeper the rift, the better 21:30  |  Yonatan 16/02/08   21.   Mark Lincoln - Stop being a Tool 21:59  |  Awake 16/02/08   22.   I blame Israel and the US for causing this infighting 22:03  |  Dutch 16/02/08   23.   Re Dutch #22 22:59  |  Esther 16/02/08   24.   Confusion west/south 23:13  |  Paul 16/02/08   25.   #22 the title of your message reads like self-parody 23:16  |  McQueen 16/02/08   26.   More "official" confessions under Hamas torture 23:22  |  Marwan مروان خوري 16/02/08   27.   Blame US and Israel to "Fix" matters 23:27  |  George Haas 16/02/08   28.   Seeing Durson and Clickfool crawling out of their slippery skins 23:31  |  Marwan مروان خوري 16/02/08   29.   israel must disappear from this planet 23:38  |  meagain 16/02/08   30.   Palestinians Deserve No State 23:42  |  Markus 16/02/08   31.   13 Baz Maan,22 Dutch,greetings! 23:58  |  lakshmi 16/02/08   32.   How did he intend to kill Haniyeh? A suicide bombing? 23:58  |  Conroy 16/02/08   33.   Dutch 22 - Of course you do! 00:30  |  ChanahS 17/02/08   34.   Dutch, AreYou Serious? 01:01  |  Al 17/02/08   35.   Hamas knows their finished so now they will try anything 01:29  |  Shepherd 17/02/08   36.   Dutch # 22 Blame Whomever 01:30  |  Jeff Northridge 17/02/08   37.   Lakshmi#10 - you ignore the other facts 02:08  |  William 17/02/08   38.   Meagain#29 - the genocidal racist 02:12  |  William 17/02/08   39.   Dutch#22 - You`re right, Arabs were in peace before Jews arrived 02:21  |  William 17/02/08   40.   36&39 William,you are not very well informed & as your post to 03:39  |  lakshmi 17/02/08   41.   HAMASS`S ACTIONS TELL ISRAEL WHAT TO DO WITH THEM 15:26  |  NEIL GOLAN 17/02/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: This November, I'm voting christian Responses: 81 Iron Dome system found to be helpless against Qassams Responses: 207 Nasrallah: We're readying for war with Israel within months Responses: 252 U.S. to announce new aid plan for West Bank, Gaza Strip Responses: 147 Daniel Levy: Obama's change could be good for Israel Responses: 91 McCain, a supporter of Israel with a 'Judeophile' brother Responses: 123 Rosner's Domain Guests: Jewish women don't want to be shut out Obama has a mainstream Democratic team (WTR) Poll: Is it time for Israel to end the blockade in Gaza? What America wants from an operation in Gaza U.S. victims of Palestinian terror await gov't stance on compensation More Headlines 15:00 Report: Sderot mayor says willing to talk with Hamas 14:22 Ramon calls for evacuation of settlers east of security fence 15:29 Barak to hold consultations Sunday on proposed Egypt border fence 11:26 Arab states threaten to rescind 2002 Saudi peace initiative 02:22 Rice: UN nuclear watchdog report bolsters case for tighter Iran sanctions 15:32 U.K. Jews irked by Tory chief's 'gimmick' reference to Auchwitz trips 12:18 IDF arrests senior PFLP operative in Nablus refugee camp 08:36 Scholar: N. Korea denies link to alleged Syria nuke facility hit by IAF 10:36 Two motorists suspected of speeding killed in road accidents in north 11:48 Hamas preacher dies while in Palestinian jail; kin allege torture 14:29 Egypt security officials warn Hamas against future border violations Previous Editions Select Day 22 feb 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb

Special Offers Advertisement 7589 rockets fired so far HELP US TO HELP THEM Marina Royale Herzelia Pituach Your Luxurious Suite While Staying in Israel Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off! Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved