A senior source in Israeli intelligence reports that the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of the Fatah organization chaired by Mahmoud Abbas, has threatened to target Jewish institutions outside of Israel.

The threat was made with the condition of Jews continuing to “invade” the Al Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during this week’s Passover holiday.

Tthese groups are allowed to visit the Temple Mount grounds in small groups, although Jews are not allowed by the Israeli police to pray there, in accordance with the rules issued by the Islamic religious authority known as the WAKF.

The statement stated that “The Zionist conqueror bears full responsibility for this invasion and all Zionist targets are legitimate.”

Although the Al Aksa remains on the active list of organizations defined by the United States government as a terrorist organization, the Clinton administration and now the Bush administration have issued a waiver every half year for the past 13 years to allow the Fatah to maintain a Washington office, which is represented by Edward Abington, former U.S. consul in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, numerous Jewish organizations host representatives of the Fatah, such as the Americans for Peace Now, the Israel Policy Forum and the Jewish Voices for Peace. All of these organizations were unavailable for comment, due to the Passover holiday.

This threat was also confirmed on Israel’s leading investigative news site at:
http://www.nfc.co.il/Archive/001-D-127468-00.html?tag=19-28-10

Published on 4/4/2007 in the Philadelphia Bulletin

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