Jerusalem – Residents of Gaza, on the day following a night of widespread arrests, tried to recover. Hamas shut down 60 Fatah institutions, including those belonging to the Palestinian Authority (P.A.) and charity institutions indirectly belonging to other organizations.

Since Friday’s explosion in the car of senior Hamas figure Khalil al-Haya near the Gaza beach – an explosion that caused the deaths of five Hamas militiamen and a six-year old girl – over 200 arrests have been made in the Gaza Strip. Hamas blamed Fatah for blowing up the car, launching a manhunt.

Palestinian sources in Gaza described Friday’s incident as a “work accident”

“The explosive charge was in the private vehicle of senior Hamas figure Khalil al-Haya, the vehicle left his home in the direction of the sea, to a particular area of the coast known as Istirahat al-Hilal, which only Hamas members enter. Mr. al-Haya’s house in Gaza is considered a fortified outpost,” the sources say. “There is no way that anyone from Fatah could have entered the house of the senior figure, certainly not with an explosive charge that would be placed in the vehicle that the Hamas militiamen were traveling in.”

The long list of detainees and closed institutions, a Palestinian source said, were part of an orderly plan of action by Hamas.

“Such a large number of arrests in such a short time is an operation that even the [Israel Defense Forces] could not carry out,” he said. “This was planned in advance; there were lists of institutions and senior members of Fatah including their locations.”

Palestinian sources say Hamas had intended to carry this plot in Jan. 2009 when Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ current term ends. On Jan. 5, the sources allege, Hamas had intended to declare Mr. Abbas an irrelevant figure without authority. If the operation had been carried out in Jan., it would have been interpreted as a coup. Hamas exploited Friday’s incident to carry out its scheme under the guise of a response to a military incident.

In the course of the arrests, Hamas and members of the Army of Islam, a radical religious organization that competes for the support of the believers on the Islamic street, exchanged fire.

Filastin, a newspaper affiliated with Hamas, reported three Army of Islam members were caught trying to cross the border into Egypt and were arrested on suspicion of involvement in planning the explosion. In response to Hamas’ arrests in the Gaza Strip, Fatah responded with arrests in Judea and Samaria, detaining 40 Hamas sympathizers, including the mufti of the Tulkarm district, who works at An-Najah University in Nablus.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

©The Bulletin 2008

Jerusalem – Immediately after the Feb. 4 Palestinian terror attack in Dimona, Israeli intelligence made a concerted effort, in Hebron, to discover and dislodge those in Hamas who were responsible. The attack killed one woman and injured 11 others.

On Sunday, Israeli intelligence chalked up a success. Israel Defense Forces’ troops killed Shihab Natshe, 25, who built the bombs used in the Dimona attack. Intelligence sources indicate he also planned additional terror attacks against Israel.

In the past few months, the IDF and Israeli intelligence have arrested numerous terrorists who allegedly belong to the Hebron terrorist cell, which security officials say “came back to life.” These arrests helped provide the information about Mr. Natshe.

Israel Special Israel Police forces, along with other IDF forces, entered Hebron in the course of the night and surrounded a house belonging to Wael Bitar, a Hamas terrorist who spent a number of years in prison. Mr. Natshe was believed to be staying in Mr. Bitar’s house.

Israeli troops called on the wanted man to give himself up. He refused to comply and, instead, opened fire and threw a bomb. Israeli troops exchanged fire with him, then called on him again to give himself up.

Then an IDF bulldozer hit the building, and Mr. Natshe still refused to come out. The troops then fired a number of rockets, which produced a series of explosions. Sappers, who subsequently inspected the scene, found that Mr. Natshe had had a number of bombs with him that had caused the series of explosions in the house.

“The powerful explosions severely damaged his body, which made it difficult to identify him,” said one security official. “From the security establishment’s point of view he was a ticking bomb, and that’s why we operated against him.”

Mr. Natshe, who was known among the Palestinians as the “bomb engineer,” recruited two bombers and supplied them with their explosive belts.

Hamas yesterday threatened swift and painful revenge for Mr. Natshe’s death. “We’ll respond with the sword and not with words,” read the Hamas statement.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

©The Bulletin 2008

Jerusalem – Israeli security officials believe that Hezbollah will focus its efforts on attacking IAF aircraft in Lebanese skies.

Hezbollah’s current weaponry cannot attack airborne Israeli forces; however, it has begun equipping itself with more modern weaponry, capable of attacking those targets

The Bulletin has obtained an Israeli security analysis, indicating the organization will attempt to attack Israel over an issue that has broad credibility in Lebanese, such as the Israel Defense Forces’ violations of Lebanese sovereignty by air by sea.

“Hezbollah does not want to take the risk of an Israeli reaction, while on the other hand it is becoming stronger,” said Israeli security officials.

This factor IAF planes could be an appropriate target for them.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

©The Bulletin 2008

Talks between Israel and Syria will resume in Turkey this week, with an attempt to reach an agreement about direct talks between the two nations on the agenda.

The Israeli Prime Minister Chief of Staff Yoram Turbowicz and the prime minister’s political adviser, Shalom Turjeman, went to Istanbul in the middle of the week for the fourth round of talks between Israel and Syria.

According to Turkish sources, quoted in the Israeli media, this round of talks will focus on reaching an agreement about starting direct talks between the two countries. Israeli officials, who aspire to this as well, have expressed cautious optimism based on the progress that was made in the first three rounds.

This is the first meeting to take place after the international conference in Paris, in which Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stood on the same platform with Syrian President Bashar Assad, where Mr. Assad refused to shake Mr. Olmert’s hand.

A Syrian figure close to the Damascus ruling elite hinted during a closed conversation he held recently in Washington that relations with Iran would not constitute a problem in case of peace with Israel.

The statements are attributed to Dr. Ahmad Samir Taki, political adviser to Syrian Prime Minister Naji Otri.

“Syria will know how to evade the Iranians,” Dr. Taki was quoted as saying in a speech he gave last week at the Brookings Institute, during a discussion on the Israeli-Syrian channel and Damascus-Washington relations.

Dr. Taki, director of the Orient Center for International Studies in Damascus, attempted to explain Syria’s closeness to Iran: “The Syrian-Egyptian-Saudi triangle is inactive, which pushed Syria to find local and regional allies. When Syria thinks about Turkey, it is looking for an opportunity. When it contemplates Iran, it thinks about power.”

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

©The Bulletin 2008

Jerusalem – Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s absence from Israeli negotiations may not be a coincidence. The latest public-opinion poll conducted by the Israeli Dahaf Polling Institute found only 6 percent of Israelis believe Mr. Olmert is worthy of his office. Only 12 percent of Israeli citizens trust Mr. Olmert, either fully or partially, as prime minister. This marks the lowest popularity point any Israeli prime minister, or for that matter any other democratically elected head of government, has ever reached.

Even former Israeli Prime Ministers Ehud Barak and Binyamin Netanyahu, on the verges of their defeats in their respective elections in 2001 and 1999, kept a minimal credibility rating of approximately 35 to 45 percent.

The cross-examination of businessman Morris Talansky, which was supposed to “crush” the witness who allegedly gave $150,000 in cash to Mr. Olmert, has actually damaged the prime minister.

For approximately 60 percent of Israelis, the prime minister’s legal team’s questioning of Mr. Talansky weakened their trust in the prime minister. They, however, view Mr. Talansky’s credibility as being three times higher than Mr. Olmert’s.

In briefings with the Israeli media over the past few days, Mr. Olmert attributed the collapse of the public’s trust in him to a plot hatched by Israeli police and the Israel State Attorney’s Office to “destroy him.”

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

Officials Say Hezbollah To Attack Israeli Air Force Planes

By David Bedein

The Bulletin

Jerusalem – Israeli security officials believe that Hezbollah will focus its efforts on attacking IAF plans in Lebanese skies.

Hezbollah’s current weaponry cannot attack airborne Israeli forces; however, it has begun equipping itself with more modern weaponry, capable of attacking those targets

The Bulletin has obtained an Israeli security analysis, indicating the organization will attempt to attack Israel over an issue that has broad credibility in Lebanese, such as the Israel Defense Forces’ violations of Lebanese sovereignty by air by sea.

“Hezbollah does not want to take the risk of an Israeli reaction, while on the other hand it is becoming stronger,” said Israeli security officials.

This factor IAF planes could be an appropriate target for them.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

©The Bulletin 2008

Jerusalem – A series of explosions rocked Gaza Saturday, and a 6-year-old girl and six Hamas fighters were killed. Hamas blamed Fatah, the faction represented by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, for their deaths and vowed revenge.

Loudspeakers, following the explosions blared the message, “This will not go by in silence.”

The deadliest blast occurred early Saturday morning night near the Gaza coastline. A powerful bomb planted near an intersection was detonated by remote control when a car containing five high-ranking, armed Hamas men passed by, killing everyone inside. A 6-year-old girl who was standing on the street also perished in the blast.

At noon, an explosion that shook downtown Gaza, killing another Hamas member.

Yet another explosion occurred in the doorway of Marwan Abu Ras, a high-ranking Hamas operative, but no one was hurt in that blast.

Among those killed included senior members of Hamas’ military wing such as:

* Iz a Din of the al-Qassam Brigades;

* Mr. Amar Musbah, the personal aide of the wing’s commander, Mr. Muhammad Jabari;

* Mr. Iyad el-Hiya, the nephew of political bureau member Dr. Khalil el-Hiya;

* and Mr. Nidal el-Mabayed, a high-ranking member of the military wing.

Despite Fatah television’s having exuded with joy over the attacks, Fatah political operatives hurried to deny all connection with the explosions. And Hamas operatives accused Mr. Abbas of having been responsible for the attacks, saying that Fatah has resumed the civil war. Last year, Hamas ejected Fatah from Gaza following weeks of bloody fighting.

The Hamas government then called on its security forces to take all measures against those who were responsible.

On Saturday morning, Hamas fighters retaliated, raiding Fatah offices throughout the Gaza Strip. They conducted searches, confiscated computers and arrested approximately 120 members of the rival faction. Additionally, Hamas operatives set up roadblocks throughout Gaza City and searched cars.

“This crime will not go by without a response,” Hamas spokespeople told the media, calling the action a “massacre.”

On Saturday, The Bulletin confirmed, however, the Fatah leadership, which controls the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah will continue to fund more than 50 percent of the Hamas government’s budget in Gaza.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

©The Bulletin 2008

Jerusalem – The Iranian Revolutionary Guards are investigating the circumstances surrounding a mysterious explosion that occurred last week, amid a military convoy carrying weapons apparently meant for Hezbollah.

The powerful explosion happened in the suburb of Khavarshahar near Tehran, causing the deaths of 15 people and wounding many others. The London Daily Telegraph reported over the weekend that the explosion took place on July 19, as the convoy was leaving a Revolutionary Guard weapons depot. According to the reports, the convoy was about to transfer a shipment of military equipment to Hezbollah when the explosion took place.

Revolutionary Guard commanders banned reports of the incident, although the explosion was heard throughout Tehran. The Iranian media has yet to report details of the incident.

“It was a massive explosion that was heard all over Tehran,” a Western source told the British newspaper. “Even though many people were killed, Revolutionary Guards are trying to conceal what really happened.”

The Daily Telegraph also reports that Iran has increased its weapons shipments to Hezbollah in preparation for a future confrontation with the West because of its nuclear program. Iran continues refusing to comply with Western demands for an end to the program.

Another report indicates the Revolutionary Guards are examining the possibility of sabotage. Several unexplained explosions have recently occurred in Iran, including one this past April at a mosque in the city of Shiraz while a military exhibition was underway. Another occurred last Nov. at a missile base, killing several dozen Iranian technicians.

Various strange incidents connected with senior officials in Iranian nuclear industries have also been noted. Who is behind them remains to be seen.

In January 2007, a senior scientist connected to the Iranian nuclear program was assassinated, reportedly by the Mossad. In the following month, Gen. Ali-Reza Asgari, a senior Iranian defense-establishment figure disappeared, and the Israeli intelligence agency likewise was implicated.

During the Nov. 13 incident, a series of explosions rocked an Iranian missile manufacturing facility south of Tehran The precise number of victims remains unknown, but reports referred to 100 injured and dead.

A year later, in Feb. 2008, an explosion took place in Tabriz, located north of Tehran. The Iranian explanation mentioned a weapons explosion or an explosion for construction purposes.

This past April’s explosion rocked Shiraz’ Shuhada Mosque during a military weapons exhibition, killing 13 and injuring more than 190. The Iranians accused the U.S. and U.K. of causing the explosions and arrested six suspects, claiming they had connections with terrorists who had executed the attack.

Israeli intelligence sources said the Mossad would not “waste” its operational capabilities in Iran for a weapons shipment to Hezbollah unless it included the introduction of a new weapons system, such as anti-aircraft missiles, into the arena.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

©The Bulletin 2008

Jerusalem – Fourteen relatives of terror victims filed a “mega lawsuit” for 450,000,000 NIS on Wednesday against the Palestinian Authority (PA), the PLO and imprisoned Fatah Tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti.

The civil suit also named seven other terrorists who are currently serving sentences for their involvement in numerous terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. It was filed in the District Court in Jerusalem.

The plaintiffs are relatives of the late Mr. Ronen Landau and Ms. Yoela Chen, residents of Givat Ze’ev, who were murdered seven years ago in two separate terrorist attacks near the community of Givat Ze’ev (north of Jerusalem).

Ronen Landau, age 17, was murdered in an ambush on the Ramot-Givat Ze’ev road, while driving with his father in a car, on his way home from a movie in Jerusalem. Ms. Chen, age 45, was shot from short-range next to the “Givonim” gas station near Givat Ze’ev, on her way to a relative’s wedding.

Mr. Marwan Barghouti, head of the Fatah Tanzim, who is currently serving five consecutive life-sentences plus 40 years for his responsibility in numerous deadly terror attacks, was the commander of the terrorists who carried out the murders of Mr. Landau and Ms. Chen. The Tel-Aviv District Court has already convicted Mr. Barghouti of Ms. Chen’s murder. Mr. Ahmed Barghouti, Marwan’s accomplice in planning the terror attacks and in organizing the terrorists who carried out the shootings, is being charged as well.

The Landau and Chen families are represented by attorney Ms. Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, director of Shurat Hadi-Israel Law Center.

The families contend Marwan Barghouti organized the terror attacks against Israeli civilian targets and conspired with senior Fatah Tanzim terrorists, who were in charge of actually carrying out the attacks – including the ones which killed Mr. Landau and Ms. Chen. As such, the families contend, Mr. Barghouti enacted a predetermined policy of utilizing terror, confirmed by the PA and Yasser Arafat, to whom Mr. Barghouti personally reported.

According to the attorney, Ms. Darshan-Leitner: “We are demanding that the court set a high and painful price tag for the physical injuries and emotional damages inflicted upon residents of Israel by the terrorists, so that the Palestinians will understand that Jewish blood is not cheap. We have conclusive proof tying the PA and its senior officials to these terror attacks near Givat-Ze’ev, as well as many other attacks. We also have clear evidence of Marwan Barghouti’s personal responsibility for the murders of Ronen Landau and Yoela Chen. Barghouti is a convicted criminal and murderer and should be treated as such. Barghouti’s involvement in these heinous crimes should always be remembered, especially these days when some politicians call for this mass murderer’s release from prison. Securing justice for Landau and Chen’s families against the Palestinians is securing justice for all the residents of Israel.”

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

©The Bulletin 2008

Jerusalem – It was reported Thursday that Iraqi and U.S. military forces have nearly completed preparations for a major operation against al-Qaida.

According to Middle East Newsline, which is generally regarded as credible, the Iraq Army and security forces have been amassing troops for an assault against al-Qaida on Aug. 1. Officials said at least 30,000 soldiers would be deployed in the Diyala province.

“This will be an operation meant to decimate the al-Qaida leadership in Diyala,” an Iraqi official said. “If successful, this will have a devastating effect on the al-Qaida presence throughout the country.”

The U.S. and Iraqi military have determined that the al-Qaida leadership, including network commander Aby Ayoub Al Jayousi, was based in Diyala.

“This will be an operation led and conducted by the Iraq Army with the police,” the official said. “The U.S. military will provide intelligence and air support.”

The preparations for the latest offensive have been in the works since at least early in the month. On July 13, Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf announced the operation was being planned but did not say when it would begin. With an announced date pending, it is expected the attack will be against an already weakened opponent.

Earlier this month, three leading al-Qaida-aligned operatives surrendered to Iraqi and U.S. forces, including one linked to a Syrian financier. The al-Qaida commander in Rutbah, near the Jordanian border, was also reported to have surrendered.

“The [Rutbah] suspect is known to facilitate foreign fighters, weapons and narcotics,” a U.S. military official said. “He is said to be well-connected to AQI [al-Qaida in Iraq] networks in various regions and finances criminal groups coming into Iraq. He is also associated with another AQI emir in the area reportedly responsible for executing members of the Iraqi government and Iraqi security forces, smuggling, hijacking and carjacking.”

Al-Qaida forces in Iraq were said to have been receiving aid and safe haven from neighboring Iran and Syria.

With recent successes, officials now report the flow of al- Qaida volunteers from Syria has been reduced from 100 to 20 per month. To continue the erosion of al-Qaida’s strength, the Iraqi and U.S. military have also been targeting the terrorist organization’s financial infrastructure around Baghdad.

In operations on Tuesday and Wednesday, American-led coalition troops detained an alleged al-Qaida financier near Samarra, 110 kilometers north of Baghdad. Another detainee, arrested in Baghdad, was linked to the al-Qaida leadership in Iraq and other countries.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com.

©The Bulletin 2008