Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
92TELAVIV6841
1992-05-14 13:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
MINI-WAR BETWEEN ISLAMIC JIHAD ORGANIZATION
how-toR 141345Z MAY 92 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1441 INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 06841
E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS KISL
SUBJECT: MINI-WAR BETWEEN ISLAMIC JIHAD ORGANIZATION
AND HAMAS IN GAZA
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 06841
E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS KISL
SUBJECT: MINI-WAR BETWEEN ISLAMIC JIHAD ORGANIZATION
AND HAMAS IN GAZA
1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. GAZAN CONTACTS CLAIM THAT A "MINI-WAR" BETWEEN HAMAS
AND THE ISLAMIC JIHAD ORGANIZATION (IJO) HAS BEEN TAKING
PLACE OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS. THESE CONTACTS TOLD
POLOFF THAT THE DISPUTE BETWEEN THE TWO ISLAMIC
FUNDAMENTALIST GROUPS HAS RESULTED IN SEVERAL CLASHES
WHICH HAVE LEFT TWO HAMAS MEMBERS AND ONE IJO MEMBER
DEAD. THE DISPUTE HAS ALSO RESULTED IN A "BATTLE" FOR
CONTROL OF MOSQUES IN GAZA. ONE SOURCE ASSERTED THAT
HAMAS ACTIVISTS HAD RECENTLY DESTROYED A LIBRARY
BELONGING TO THE IJO.
3. ONE SOURCE OF FRICTION, ACCORDING TO OUR CONTACTS,
HAS BEEN HAMAS ATTEMPTS TO ENLIST IJO SUPPORT IN ITS
RECENT CLASHES WITH FATAH (REPORTEDLY OVER THE PEACE
PROCESS) WHICH RESULTED IN SEVERAL KILLINGS AND
CASUALTIES DURING THE PAST THREE MONTHS. THE IJO
APPARENTLY REJECTED THESE EFFORTS AND INSTEAD BEGAN A
SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST ONE OF HAMAS' LEADERS, MAHMOUD
AL-ZAHAR, ACCUSING HIM IN A WIDELY-DISTRIBUTED PAMPHLET
OF BEING AN "ISRAELI COLLABORATOR."
4. THE TWO GROUPS ALSO REPORTEDLY DIFFER OVER THE
EXTENT TO WHICH ISLAM SHOULD DIRECT THE POLITICAL AGENDA
OF FUNDAMENTALIST GROUPS IN GAZA. IJO AND THE OTHER
ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST GROUP IN GAZA, "AL-DAWAH" (A
SUNNI GROUP UNRELATED TO THE SHIA GROUP RESPONSIBLE FOR
TERRORIST ACTS IN THE GULF),REPORTEDLY HAVE ATTACKED
HAMAS FOR ITS WILLINGNESS TO FAVOR "POLITICAL"
ACCOMMODATION OVER THE UNCOMPROMISING REJECTIONIST
APPROACH OF THE MORE FUNDAMENTALIST IJO.
5. COMMENT: GAZAN CONTACTS TOLD US THAT HAMAS HAS
SIGNALLED RENEWED INTEREST TO PARTICIPATE IN A MUNICIPAL
COUNCIL IN GAZA, IF THAT ISSUE SURFACES AGAIN. ISRAELI
OFFICIALS, TOO, HAVE ASSERTED THAT HAMAS IN GAZA HAS
RECENTLY SHOWN A PRAGMATIC STREAK ON POLITICAL ISSUES.
WHILE THESE REPORTED IJO CLAIMS ON HAMAS ORIENTATION MAY
BE JUSTIFIED, HAMAS CONTINUES TO EXERCISE ITS MILITARY
AND REJECTIONIST SIDES AS WELL.
CLARKE
E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS KISL
SUBJECT: MINI-WAR BETWEEN ISLAMIC JIHAD ORGANIZATION
AND HAMAS IN GAZA
1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. GAZAN CONTACTS CLAIM THAT A "MINI-WAR" BETWEEN HAMAS
AND THE ISLAMIC JIHAD ORGANIZATION (IJO) HAS BEEN TAKING
PLACE OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS. THESE CONTACTS TOLD
POLOFF THAT THE DISPUTE BETWEEN THE TWO ISLAMIC
FUNDAMENTALIST GROUPS HAS RESULTED IN SEVERAL CLASHES
WHICH HAVE LEFT TWO HAMAS MEMBERS AND ONE IJO MEMBER
DEAD. THE DISPUTE HAS ALSO RESULTED IN A "BATTLE" FOR
CONTROL OF MOSQUES IN GAZA. ONE SOURCE ASSERTED THAT
HAMAS ACTIVISTS HAD RECENTLY DESTROYED A LIBRARY
BELONGING TO THE IJO.
3. ONE SOURCE OF FRICTION, ACCORDING TO OUR CONTACTS,
HAS BEEN HAMAS ATTEMPTS TO ENLIST IJO SUPPORT IN ITS
RECENT CLASHES WITH FATAH (REPORTEDLY OVER THE PEACE
PROCESS) WHICH RESULTED IN SEVERAL KILLINGS AND
CASUALTIES DURING THE PAST THREE MONTHS. THE IJO
APPARENTLY REJECTED THESE EFFORTS AND INSTEAD BEGAN A
SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST ONE OF HAMAS' LEADERS, MAHMOUD
AL-ZAHAR, ACCUSING HIM IN A WIDELY-DISTRIBUTED PAMPHLET
OF BEING AN "ISRAELI COLLABORATOR."
4. THE TWO GROUPS ALSO REPORTEDLY DIFFER OVER THE
EXTENT TO WHICH ISLAM SHOULD DIRECT THE POLITICAL AGENDA
OF FUNDAMENTALIST GROUPS IN GAZA. IJO AND THE OTHER
ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST GROUP IN GAZA, "AL-DAWAH" (A
SUNNI GROUP UNRELATED TO THE SHIA GROUP RESPONSIBLE FOR
TERRORIST ACTS IN THE GULF),REPORTEDLY HAVE ATTACKED
HAMAS FOR ITS WILLINGNESS TO FAVOR "POLITICAL"
ACCOMMODATION OVER THE UNCOMPROMISING REJECTIONIST
APPROACH OF THE MORE FUNDAMENTALIST IJO.
5. COMMENT: GAZAN CONTACTS TOLD US THAT HAMAS HAS
SIGNALLED RENEWED INTEREST TO PARTICIPATE IN A MUNICIPAL
COUNCIL IN GAZA, IF THAT ISSUE SURFACES AGAIN. ISRAELI
OFFICIALS, TOO, HAVE ASSERTED THAT HAMAS IN GAZA HAS
RECENTLY SHOWN A PRAGMATIC STREAK ON POLITICAL ISSUES.
WHILE THESE REPORTED IJO CLAIMS ON HAMAS ORIENTATION MAY
BE JUSTIFIED, HAMAS CONTINUES TO EXERCISE ITS MILITARY
AND REJECTIONIST SIDES AS WELL.
CLARKE