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Last update - 20:56 25/05/2008
Shin Bet: Hamas rockets could hit far beyond Ashkelon
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Syria, Rockets, Hamas, Israel

The head of the Shin Bet security service Yuval Diskin warned Sunday that the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, now has rockets capable of striking beyond Ashkelon, and possibly reaching as far as Ashdod and Kiryat Gat. Click here for map

Palestinians have been firing homemade Qassam rockets at the Negev town of Sderot, some 5 kilometers from the Gaza border, for the past seven years. Recently, however, they have been able to reach Ashkelon, some 12 km away. Diskin's assessment is that they have now doubled their range.

The Shin Bet chief, who made the comments at the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, based his assertion on information attained by the security service.
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"As long as there is no substantial prevention of smuggling between Sinai and Gaza, and currently there is none, it is only a matter of time until Hamas will acquire rockets that can reach even further," he added.

Hamas, along with other militant groups in Gaza, has pounded southern Israel with rocket fire for the last seven years. Rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza in recent weeks have killed two Israeli civilians, and wounded dozens more.

Meanwhile, the London-based a-Sharq al-Awset reported on Sunday that Iran is planning to provide the Islamist Hamas movement with advanced weapons in response to the announcement of renewed negotiations between Israel and Syria.

The newspaper also reported that Hamas' political bureau chief, Khled Meshal, met with senior Iranian officials including the leader of the Revolutionary Guard while in Tehran this weekend.

According to the report, the Iranian officials promised Meshal that Tehran would continue to support the Islamist group.

During a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Manochehr Mottaki on Sunday, Meshal said that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was too "weak" to take the necessary steps for peace with Syria. He also expressed doubts about Israel's seriousness in negotiations.

"There is great skepticism concerning the seriousness (of Israel) to return the Golan," Meshal said, referring to a strategic plateau captured by Israel in 1967.

"It's maneuvering and playing with all the (negotiating) tracks - it's a well known game and besides, Olmert's weakness will not allow him to take this step," he added.

Meshal, who resides in Damascus, was careful not to criticize Syria's
decision to restart negotiations with Israel and said he was sure the renewed talks would not come at the expense of the Palestinian track.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said that the negotiations with Syria and the Palestinians would be conducted simultaneously.

Israeli officials feel that there is a better chance of reaching an agreement with the Syrians than with the Palestinians, and a Syrian agreement has a better chance of being implemented.

The sources say it should be easier to reach a deal with the Syrians because the issues on the Syrian front are only territorial, while those relating to the Palestinians concern a number of sensitive matters including land.

Israel has stipulated that as part of the renewed negotiations, Syria must sever its contacts with Iran, and with the militants Hamas and Hezbollah organization.

Syria has rejected the precondition. The state-run Tishrin said in Saturday's editorial that any preconditions to a deal would put the carriage before the horse and Syria's relations with other nations were not on the bargaining table.

Sources close to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday said that he was unable to conceal his disappointment and surprise at the news of the renewed peace talks.

In an interview with al-Sharq al-Awsat, the sources said that Ahmadinejad characterized the reports as a violation by Damascus of the two countries' mutual responsibilities toward one another.

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      1.   Israel should view this step as hostile and must attack Iran 12:17  |  Vitaly 25/05/08
      2.   # 1 vitaly 13:22  |  Axel 25/05/08
      3.   #1 Vitaly 13:26  |  guy 25/05/08
      4.   This story is total B.S. 14:32  |  Wendy 25/05/08
      5.   #2 and #3 14:36  |  george 25/05/08
      6.   #2 OXel 14:40  |  * BEN JABO 25/05/08
      7.   #3 guy - please don`t call others names 14:42  |  * BEN JABO 25/05/08
      8.   # 7. Ben Jabo. Shalom. 15:53  |  Stephen. 25/05/08
      9.   easier; because you give and get nothing 16:05  |  r 25/05/08
      10.   jabo,asking some0one not to call others names and hes does the 16:12  |  sohypocritical 25/05/08
      11.   #10 So devious - what other names do you use 16:36  |  * BEN JABO 25/05/08
      12.   #10-2 so devious 16:37  |  * BEN JABO 25/05/08
      13.   #3 gay 16:45  |  Rick 25/05/08
      14.   what does israel expect 16:59  |  sam i am 25/05/08
      15.   #14 sam u were 17:19  |  * BEN JABO 25/05/08
      16.   This is great news for Palestinian defense against Israeli thugs 17:39  |  POP 25/05/08
      17.   IDF child murders need to be attacked - Defend Gaza from Israel 17:42  |  POP 25/05/08
      18.   Support Palestinian Defense. Strike Israel back for child killing 17:42  |  POP 25/05/08
      19.   Hit Hamas hard and hit them now! 17:50  |  Yossi 25/05/08
      20.   LMFAO @ the Hypocrite douche #7 - BenJabo, namecaller #1 17:52  |  POP 25/05/08
      21.   POP - Continue, your stupidity is entertaining. 18:11  |  Al 25/05/08
      22.   jabo,admit it,you look stupid when you tell others not to call 18:21  |  jabosux 25/05/08
      23.   If Hamas has these rockets 18:32  |  Chris Linthwaite 25/05/08
      24.   It`s funny, all of the anti-Israel/semitic posters here 18:42  |  Shaul 25/05/08
      25.   Prevent hamas from launching the rockets 19:15  |  KUTW 25/05/08
      26.   A Syrian agreement, a better chance? 19:19  |  KUTW 25/05/08
      27.   Syria rejects the precondition 19:22  |  KUTW 25/05/08
      28.   4. Wendy 19:26  |  Eylo 25/05/08
      29.   16. POP: Israel wont let them get away with the murder 19:29  |  KUTW 25/05/08
      30.   # 13 rick 19:33  |  Axel 25/05/08
      31.   Murderous mullahs 19:47  |  Isaac Leal 25/05/08
      32.   Negotiations? 19:48  |  P. J. Casey 25/05/08
      33.   Iran sponsors international terrorism 19:51  |  Eylo 25/05/08
      34.   THIS IS GOOD, WHY NOT? 19:53  |  indrajaya 25/05/08
      35.   18. POP supporting pal use of children for terror 19:53  |  KUTW 25/05/08
      36.   #24 Shaul 19:59  |  Rachel Stevens 25/05/08
      37.   Iran provides arms to Hezbollah, despite Res.1701 20:00  |  Eylo 25/05/08
      38.   #22 20:01  |  * BEN JABO 25/05/08
      39.   #30 OXel - The idea of losing another 3000+ 20:06  |  * BEN JABO 25/05/08
      40.   Douche bag HYPOCRITE Ben Jabo a name calling twat 20:24  |  POP 25/05/08
      41.   Take you medication Ben Jabo & go to bed. you have pre school 20:25  |  *BEN JABO`s mommy 25/05/08
      42.   # 39 ben jabber 20:29  |  Axel 25/05/08
      43.   #38 Ben Jabo,how much is the check you get from the american tax 20:31  |  jabosux 25/05/08
      44.   The face of up 20:51  |  Paul 25/05/08
      45.   That`s a nice map of Palestine. Thanks Haaretz 20:52  |  POP 25/05/08
      46.   East is east 21:08  |  Billy Boy 25/05/08
      47.   Iran behind hamas coup 21:17  |  Eylo 25/05/08
      48.   olmert, still cooking in the kitchen! 21:20  |  Mark 25/05/08
      49.   Iran, training hamas 21:21  |  Eylo 25/05/08
      50.   45. POP: Palestine=the Jews` country 21:24  |  Pierre 25/05/08
      51.   #30 axel and the math 21:24  |  Rick 25/05/08
      52.   time to take back gaza 01:07  |  alan 26/05/08
      53.   IDF - Does Not Seem Either Eager or Capable of Defending Israel 02:04  |  Tod Zuckerman 26/05/08
      54.   # 51 rick 02:11  |  Axel 26/05/08
      55.   Poor Shin Bet... theres no use for you. 02:20  |  JP 26/05/08
      56.   TO BEN-JABO, from you nemesis 02:38  |  VIPER 26/05/08
      57.   #30 axel and the math 03:07  |  thomas 26/05/08
      58.   #8, Stephen... 03:55  |  Silvienne 26/05/08
      59.   Ben Jabo to Oxel... 03:57  |  Silvienne 26/05/08
      60.   #50, Pierre...no, actually... 04:07  |  Silvienne 26/05/08
      61.   How isn`t it possible to monitor the Philadelphia corridor ? 06:10  |  Fortuna Benmayor 26/05/08
      62.   Diskin discounts the laws of physics with his "analysis" 06:52  |  Dr. L. Brnd 26/05/08
      63.   #55 Silvienne,no actually "Palestinians" are 07:52  |  curious 26/05/08
      64.   #63, "curious"....?? 18:22  |  Silvienne 26/05/08
      65.   #56 VIPER - You`re not a nemesis 21:01  |  * BEN JABO 26/05/08
      66.   #59 Silvienne - Keep on wondering 21:03  |  * BEN JABO 26/05/08
      67.   #66, Ben Jabo... 21:36  |  Silvienne 26/05/08
      68.   Bigger engines larger transports 22:43  |  Paul 26/05/08
      69.   #64 Silvienne 02:26  |  curious 27/05/08
      70.   #67 Silvienne - You wouldn`t think that on a dark street 02:49  |  * BEN JABO 27/05/08
      71.