The Israeli army shot and killed a Palestinian militant wanted for his involvement in the suicide bombing at a club in Tel Aviv two weeks ago. He was a member of the militant group Islamic Jihad.
Israeli soldiers got a tip that 26-year-old Mohammad Khalil was hiding out in a house in Nazlat a Wista, not far from Jenin. According to army accounts, the house was surrounded and Khalil was asked to leave the building. He refused and continued to shoot at the soldiers. The soldiers then sent in a tracker dog to find Khalil but he shot the dog and continued to fire at the soldiers.
A bulldozer was used to try to force Khalil out of the house but he continued to fire at the soldiers. After the house was demolished, his body was found along with his gun.
The Israeli army contends that killing Khalil does not violate the cease fire agreement reached between the PA and Israel because Khalil was planning additional attacks on Israel. Israel had reserved the right to prevent 'ticking bombs' from attacking its citizens.
Khalil was also believed to be involved in preparing a car packed with explosives that was discovered by Israeli officials February 28 before it could be used in a terrorist attack.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was critical of the Israeli actions. 'Quietness is required from us. At the same time, it is also required from the Israelis and the Israelis must not carry out these actions,' Abbas said. He cautioned Israel about the future of PA efforts to prevent terrorism, promising a sincere attempt. 'The Palestinian Authority cannot achieve 100 percent success, but we can achieve 100 percent effort,' he said.
Other Palestinian officials were more direct in their criticism. 'Resuming the assassinations is a dangerous indicator and Israel will be responsible for any breach of the relative calm and the understandings of Sharm el-Sheikh summit,' Palestinian Planning Minister Ghassan al-Khatib told Reuters.
Actions like this one do make PA President Abbas's job more difficult. However, if Khalil was planning an additional act of terror, Israeli forces had little choice.
