HAMAS FIRES QASSAMS INTO ISRAEL; INTENSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002381

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/LOGERFO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2016
TAGS: KPAL KWBG PREL IS ASEC
SUBJECT: HAMAS FIRES QASSAMS INTO ISRAEL; INTENSE
FATAH-HAMAS CLASHES


Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Following the June 9 deaths of 8 Palestinian
civilians by a suspected errant Israeli shell, HAMAS
militants launched a barrage of Qassam rockets into Israel.
In statements to the media, PM Haniyyah and other PA
government spokesmen called on the international community to
halt Israeli attacks on Palestinians. HAMAS representatives
in Beirut and Damascus took a more confrontational line,
indicating in remarks reported in the press that the tahdi'ah
(period of calm) had expired and defending the right of
Palestinians to resist "Israeli aggression." In Gaza, HAMAS
militants attacked several prominent Preventive Security
Organization (PSO) officers June 9-12, triggering intense
gun-battles. END SUMMARY.

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HAMAS Responds with Threats,
Barrage of Qassam Rockets
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2. (C) The death of 8 Palestinian civilians received
widespread local attention on June 9, with media reports
attributing the deaths to an errant Israeli shell. In
response to the civilian deaths, HAMAS militants June 9
distributed a leaflet promising an "earthquake of attacks in
Zionist towns." A HAMAS military wing spokesman identified
only as Abu Ubaydah told al-Jazeera television June 9 that
Israel has given the "Palestinian resistance no choice but to
retaliate." HAMAS and other factions claimed credit for
launching at least 32 Qassam rocket attacks at Israel on the
evening of June 9. On June 11, an IAF strike killed two
HAMAS militants, Salem al-Radi' and Mohammad al-Masri, who
were reportedly responsible for several of the Qassam
attacks. Between June 9 and 12, HAMAS, PIJ, and al-Aqsa
Martyrs Brigades militants launched at least 61 Qassam
rockets into Israel.

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Government Spokesmen Balance
Fury with Political Caution
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3. (C) In June 10 statements to the media, PM Haniyyah and PA
Cabinet Spokesman Ghazi al-Hamad called on the international
community to halt "Israeli aggression." PM Haniyyah declined
to comment whether HAMAS would continue to uphold the
tahdi'ah. Al-Hamad told reporters that it was "inconceivable
that Israel targets civilians while the Palestinians remain
silent. There must be a serious stance taken by all the
factions to confront this aggression." Gaza PLC member Salah
al-Bardawil suggested to Israeli reporters on June 10 that
HAMAS' military response would be limited to Qassam rockets
saying, HAMAS would undertake "a measured response."

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External Leadership
Emphasizes Resistance
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4. (C) The external HAMAS leadership, however, emphasized the
precedence of resistance in their public statements.
Damascus-based leader Khaled Mish'al defended HAMAS' right to
renew attacks on Israel during a June 11 statement to
al-Jazeera. "It is the right of the Palestinian people to
defend itself from the enemy." From Beirut, HAMAS
representative Osama al-Hamdan told reporters June 10 that
the tahdi'ah had expired and HAMAS' actions will be dictated
by "field developments and considerations." HAMAS PLC member
Mushir al-Masri struck a similar tone with Palestinian
reporters saying, "There will be no calm or truce with the
occupation since the truce expired at the end of 2005
according to the Cairo Understandings." HAMAS Political
Bureau Spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told reporters June 11 that
all resistance groups, including HAMAS, have the right to
respond as necessary to the "vicious crimes of the Israeli
occupation."

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Ongoing PSO-HAMAS Clashes
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5. (C) A senior PSO officer, Basem al-Qutob, was shot and
killed in Gaza City at 0130L on June 9, reportedly by HAMAS
gunmen. Al-Qutob was a reportedly close ally of PLC member
Muhammad Dahlan and the deputy head of the PSO Special
Operations division in Gaza. During al-Qutob's funeral,
three PSO officers were hurt in a gun battle that began when
HAMAS gunmen fired on fomer PSO Chief Rashid Abu Shabak's

motorcade, according to Fatah sources. In an apparent
assassination attempt, a bomb exploded outside the home of
Rashid Abu Shabak's chief bodyguard and brother, Muhammad Abu
Shabak, early on the morning of June 11. No injuries were
reported in the incident. One HAMAS gunman was killed and
three other people were injured June 12 during clashes at the
funeral of HAMAS militant Husam Abu Anza, who died from
wounds sustained during an early May gun-battle.


6. (C) At 1500L on June 12, HAMAS gunmen began besieging the
PSO Headquarters in Rafah. Fatah sources reported that HAMAS
gunmen surrounded the building and began firing automatic
weapons and RPGs. As of 1830L, one PSO officer has been
killed in the ongoing clashes.

WALLES