The Zionist Organization of America News Release, July 15, 2003
Instead of cracking down on terrorists — as President Bush’s Road Map plan
requires — the Palestinian Authority is permitting the terrorists to use the
“cease-fire” period as a cover to rebuild their arsenal and test new weapons for
future use against Israel.
The Israeli daily Ha’aretz reported (July 7, 2003):
“Hamas continues to manufacture Qassam rockets under cover of the
cease-fire, senior intelligence officials revealed.”
Israel Radio reported (July 10, 2003):
“A special report by Military Intelligence finds that the Palestinians are
exploiting the cease-fire to reorganize to attack. According to the report, the
Palestinians are recruiting suicide bombers and have increased the pace of
production of Qassam missiles in the Gaza Strip now under Palestinian security
control.”
Israel Television reported (July 13, 2003):
“The Palestinians recently test fired a new extended range Qassam
rocket … It has a range greater than 10 kilometers.”
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told the cabinet on July 13, 2003, that the
terrorist organizations are “using the ceasefire to rebuild their infrastructures.”
Ha’aretz reported on July 14, 2003:
“A senior IDF officer said Sunday that Palestinian terrorist organizations
in the Gaza Strip are engaged in an effort to complete the production of 1,000
Kassam rockets during the period of the hudna (cease-fire) that is slated to last
three months. During recent weeks, the organizations in Gaza, and above all
Hamas, have been making an effort to extend the range of the rockets they
have.
The main objective of the rocket industry is to reach a range of nearly 20
km. and thus place the city of Ashkelon in striking range. The Kassam-2, that is
currently being used by Hamas, reaches a range of some 8 km.”
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said: “The so-called “cease-fire” is not
a step towards peace — it is allowing the Palestinian Arabs to prepare the next
steps for war.
The Bush administration should insist that the PA fulfill President Bush’s
Road Map requirement that it immediately “dismantle terrorist capabilities and
infrastructure”.
There have been periods when terrorism was more frequent; there have
been periods when it was less frequent. But the Palestinian Arabs’ terrorist war
against Israel has never stopped.”
