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A Hezbollah flag flies over thousands of Palestinian mourners at the funeral for four militants in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Thursday. (AP) Last update - 20:41 13/03/2008 Hezbollah becoming more visible in West Bank after Mughniyah death By The Associated Press Tags: West Bank, Imad Mughniyah  "Hezbollah is coming," mourners chanted at Thursday's funeral of a Palestinian militant killed by Israel, his body wrapped in the flag of the Lebanese-based guerrilla group. A Hezbollah flag, along with Hamas banners, also adorned the home of an Israeli Arab man who gunned down students at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in Jerusalem last week, killing eight. A shadowy group Palestinian security officials say is a front for Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the rampage. Hezbollah has long operated behind the scenes in the Palestinian territories, funneling millions of dollars to militant groups for attacks against Israel, according to Israeli and Palestinian security officials. The Lebanese group's influence has become increasingly visible in the West Bank since last month's assassination of its military chief, Imad Mughniyah, in an explosion in Syria that Hezbollah has blamed on Israel. Advertisement It remains unclear whether more Palestinian militants are simply taking their cue from Hezbollah, or whether the Lebanese group is getting more directly involved in violence in the Palestinian territories, in part to make good on its threat to avenge Mughniyah. Hezbollah has been sending large amounts of money to Palestinian militants in the West Bank since 2000. Israel has not said whether it was behind the car bomb that killed Mughniyah. But since his death, Hezbollah's leaders have signaled they'll carry out revenge attacks in Israel itself, not just against Israeli targets abroad, said Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, a Hezbollah specialist in Lebanon. "Hezbollah's leaders made it clear that they are in a new stage of their war with Israel, and definitely the tools will be changed in this new phase," she said. However, the extent of Hezbollah's involvement remains murky. A group calling itself Galilee Freedom Battalions - the Martyrs of Imad Mughniyah and Gaza has claimed responsibility for last week's shooting attack in Jerusalem. Maj. Gen. Raji al-Nijmi, a senior Palestinian security official, said he believes the group is a Hezbollah front, but said he has no hard evidence that it carried out the attack. "This name [of the group] is a lie, it's just Hezbollah playing politics," al-Nijmi said. The moderate Abbas government in the West Bank is trying to limit Hezbollah's influence, while the Lebanese guerrilla group has found an eager ally in the Islamic militant Hamas, which controls Gaza. Israeli and Palestinian officials have said they suspect possible involvement of both Hezbollah and Hamas in the Jerusalem shooting. The assailant, a 25-year-old resident of Jerusalem, was killed by an off-duty Israeli soldier at the scene of the attack. A Hezbollah flag was briefly raised at his mourning tent, along with Hamas banners. On Thursday, mourners marching in a funeral procession for four Palestinian militants killed the day before by Israeli troops in the West Bank town of Bethlehem chanted, "Hezbollah is coming." The bodies of local Islamic Jihad leader Mohammed Shehadeh and another militant were wrapped in Hezbollah flags. "Mohammed was a big fan of Hezbollah's way of fighting against the Israeli occupation," said the slain man's cousin, Khalil. He said Shehadeh converted from Sunni to Shiite Islam - the denomination of Hezbollah supporters - in a show of support. Hezbollah enjoys widespread popularity in the Palestinian territories because of its brazen actions against Israel, including a guerrilla war that pushed Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon in May 2000. Hezbollah's star rose further after fighting Israel's army to what some view as a draw in the summer of 2006. After the outbreak of the second Palestinian uprising (intifada) in September 2000, Hezbollah began funneling millions of dollars to Palestinian militants in the West Bank to help finance attacks against Israel, according to Israeli and Palestinian security officials as well as the militants themselves. The Lebanese guerrillas worked directly with leaders of Islamic Jihad, who were based in Damascus, but also recruited gunmen from moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, the security officials and militants said. Operatives of Fatah's violent offshoot, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, said Hezbollah approached them from the first months of the uprising and offered help. One Al Aqsa leader in the West Bank city of Nablus said privately that his group used to receive $8,000 a month to buy weapons and bullets. He spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing Israel would harm him. Hezbollah halted the payments after most Al Aqsa men accepted an amnesty offer by Israel, said another local Al Aqsa leader, Mahdi Abu Ghazaleh. However, Israel recently complained to Palestinian security officials that some Al Aqsa activists are still in contact with Hezbollah, said al-Nijmi, the Palestinian security officer. "Israeli intelligence is listening to the phone calls between Hezbollah and the Al Aqsa supporters," al-Nijmi said, adding that Hezbollah has started placing the calls from outside Lebanon to avoid some of the monitoring. Israeli analyst Efraim Inbar said he believes Hezbollah's influence in the Palestinian territories is on the rise, but it's difficult to quantify it. Inbar said Israel should be more concerned about Hezbollah's role in Gaza. "We already see Hezbollah methods in Gaza. We know that some Palestinians have undergone training in Hezbollah camps," he said. Related articles: Palestinians: Hamas, Hezbollah cooperated on Jerusalem terror attack Hezbollah: We're ready for war with Israel, but we won't start it Hezbollah and Israel / What Hezbollah could lose in a reprisal Hezbollah terror chief Imad Mughniyah killed in Damascus blast 8 die in terror attack on J'lem yeshiva Bookmark to del.icio.us   Breaking with the ZOA Is Harvard University's Progressive Jewish Alliance inciting against Israel? Rising in the polls New survey finds Nasrallah is the most admired leader in the Arab world.   1.   israel only understands the language of force! 21:58  |  lakshmi 13/03/08   2.   Abbas` end is near. So is Hezbollah`s! 22:00  |  PEACE 13/03/08   3.   We are coming 22:02  |  Paul Wood 13/03/08   4.   Olmert doesnt get it 22:17  |  Danite 13/03/08   5.   Olmert needs to step down, another failure to a bad government 22:53  |  Olmert the coward 13/03/08   6.   lakshmi should be ashamed to advocte war crimes 22:57  |  Natallie Durson 13/03/08   7.   One response 23:10  |  Mark Lincoln 13/03/08   8.   Danite, does he really not get it? 23:13  |  Mark B. 13/03/08   9.   REMOVE YOUR WOMEN & CHILDREN COWARDS!!! 23:14  |  SIingh Dohn 13/03/08   10.   Well well 23:19  |  Tom 13/03/08   11.   languages 23:42  |  david gold 13/03/08   12.   Iran virtually controls Gaza and the West Bank. 00:41  |  Fortuna Benmayor 14/03/08   13.   Lakshmi as oppose to Hezbo terrorists who understand french? 01:15  |  Dan 14/03/08   14.   West Bank & Gaza: Iran`s proxy front against Israel 01:20  |  Itzik 14/03/08   15.   If they become more visible, it should be easier to kill them. 01:27  |  Voice of Reason 14/03/08   16.   let them come 01:32  |  Dan 14/03/08   17.   Lakshmi - your mantra is a poor excuse for bloodthirstiness 01:49  |  Jeroen de Jager 14/03/08   18.   Paul Wood - and are you enlisting? 01:56  |  Jeroen de Jager 14/03/08   19.   Wood - let`s clear out the saw dust ! 01:57  |  Jeroen de Jager 14/03/08   20.   The West Bank is the craddle of Shia Islam 02:02  |  N. Shirazi 14/03/08   21.   Paul Wood "We are coming" 02:06  |  Tom 14/03/08   22.   Hezbollah will lose 03:25  |  Tal 14/03/08   23.   Hizbullah is here thanks to lsraeli policy 06:46  |  Steve the Pals. 14/03/08   24.   HEZBOLLAH.....the only way to finish the state of israel 06:53  |  GEORGES HADDAD 14/03/08   25.   The 3rd destruction 07:04  |  Manal Khoury 14/03/08   26.   Hizbullah is here thanks to Israel 07:42  |  Steve the Pals. 14/03/08   27.   Hizbollah... The Truth will set us free 08:18  |  The Palestinian 14/03/08   28.   Blind leading the Blind! 09:44  |  Yari 14/03/08   29.   If you got wetlands neighboring you with an endless 11:29  |  Karl 14/03/08   30.   Post 20 True faith my friend had been in the course of history 11:51  |  Karl 14/03/08   31.   #23 George, my friend the 13. Imam has come 12:05  |  Karl 14/03/08   32.   # 23 13:37  |  DM 14/03/08   33.   #9 Remove your planes and fight like brave men 14:09  |  Toufic 14/03/08   34.   Yes we are coming , next year in Jerusalem 14:39  |  Fallujah 14/03/08   35.   Jeroen de Jager 14:53  |  Paul Wood 14/03/08   36.   #21 Tom of Denver 14:57  |  Paul Wood 14/03/08   37.   And you Wood? Show me who your friends are... 15:17  |  Jeroen de Jager 14/03/08   38.   #1, Lakshmi, look at the hezballah flag... 15:37  |  DR 14/03/08   39.   #23, 29 and Paul Wood! 15:44  |  DR 14/03/08   40.   Paul Wood 15:57  |  DM 14/03/08   41.   Fallujah - bringing peace and prosperity to the world? 16:07  |  Jeroen de Jager 14/03/08   42.   #32 to DR 16:26  |  FalluJah 14/03/08   43.   DR still running his chicken mouth from florida 16:43  |  dispora zionazi 14/03/08   44.   Car bombs 17:35  |  Paul 14/03/08   45.   #32 DR 18:12  |  Paul Wood 14/03/08   46.   # 35 19:09  |  Fallujah 14/03/08   47.   #34 DM 19:17  |  Paul Wood 14/03/08   48.   The USA 23:13  |  Paul 14/03/08   49.   What a fool! 23:18  |  Paul 14/03/08   50.   Dear Cananda 23:19  |  Paul 14/03/08   51.   I wish Hamas & Hezbollah only one success. Over Fatah! 00:43  |  Chaim 15/03/08   52.   Short and Sweet 02:39  |  Alex 15/03/08   53.   Hezbollah becoming more visible in West Bank after Mughniyah deat 15:13  |  Nahum 15/03/08   54.   Hez Strategy=Attack from behindWomen&Attack teenagers studyingG-d 23:14  |  Alan 15/03/08   55.   Haaretz STOP LETTING THIS HATRED GO ON 17:17  |  Good Guy 19/03/08   56.   visble ? 09:37  |  Husseineya 17/04/08

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