Iran Funding Palestinian Terror Groups! "Lighting Many Fires"?

by DEBKAfile

2 July 2003

Roadblocks raised by fresh Palestinian terrorist alert clog highway network in Sharon region northeast of Tel Aviv Wednesday afternoon. Israeli targets under mortar attack in Gaza Strip. Near Nablus, Palestinians fire at Israeli patrol. Earlier, Israeli slightly injured in shooting attack on security fence workers near Tulkarm. Another team working nearby south of Qalqiliya was unhurt by explosive device.

In Ramallah ceremony, US Consul hands Palestinian Authority $30m in reconstruction aid

Israeli military turns Bethlehem over to Palestinian control Wednesday at 16:00 IST - but continues to encircle first West Bank town turned over to Palestinians to secure adjacent Jerusalem against suicide attack and bombardment.

DEBKAfile counter-terror sources reveal large-scale influx into Bethlehem of wanted Palestinian terrorists from across West Bank. They are forming up into dangerous nucleus for stepped up violence under Arafat’s aegis.

Shin Beit Director Dichter warning at Tel Aviv University: While US and Israel create Palestinian state for Abu Mazen, Arafat is forming second Palestinian state sponsored by Tehran.

He said: Success of Israel’s withdrawal will face first test in two-three weeks when Palestinian Authority is obliged to collect illegal weapons on West Bank and Gaza Strip.

PM Abbas to Sharon at Tuesday meeting in Jerusalem: It is hard to rein in terror when Iran funds terrorist attacks

This was his response to Israel’s demand for terrorist organizations to be broken up and their illegal weapons collected before further Israeli pullbacks from Palestinian West Bank areas.

DEBKAfile: Abbas was referring diplomatically to large Iran-sponsored supplies of weapons, explosives and cash flowing to Arafat’s Tanzim and al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades from Hizballah and Syria. Israeli officials continue to gloss over this threat and point the finger at Hamas.

DEBKAfile Exclusive: US national security adviser Rice to highlight Bush administration’s contribution to Israeli security to large group of American Jewish leaders invited to White House Wednesday night.

Occasion planned to advance Bush re-election campaign. Rice issued invitations in person Sunday from plane carrying her home from Middle East.

Dahlan reports 12,000 vehicles on Gaza Strip roads were stolen by Palestinians in Israel – 5,000 by Palestinian Authority personnel. He promised to impound them.

DEBKAfile: Wholesale theft of Israeli cars by Palestinian officers took place during years when Dahlan was himself PA’s senior security officer in Gaza Strip