Israel fears attack by Jewish militants
JERUSALEM The Israeli authorities are voicing increasing fears that Jewish extremists may stage a spectacular attack in an effort to scuttle the planned pullout from the Gaza Strip, including a suicide attack on Jerusalem's mosque compound.
Senior sources quoted by the daily Haaretz say they are studying the possibility that militants, inspired by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, would try to crash an unmanned drone packed with explosives or even a send a suicide bomber to crash into Muslim worshipers during a prayer session.
Israel's public security minister, Tzahi Hanegbi, on Saturday warned of a high risk of an attack by Jewish extremists against Islamic holy places on the compound, which is known as the Temple Mount by Jews and as the Noble Sanctuary by Muslims. The compound shelters the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, as well as the Western Wall, which is the holiest site for the Jews.
"The risk of Jewish extremists and fanatics committing an attack against Temple Mount or the faithful in this most sacred place for Islam has never been so high," Hanegbi said.
Such an attack would have the aim of sabotaging Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to pull out of the Gaza Strip by "provoking a chain reaction," the minister said on Israeli television.
"We have a considerable amount of disquieting information according to which it is not only academic ideas but concrete projects," Hanegbi added, without elaborating. Jewish extremists are fiercely opposed to Sharon's plans to pull all 8,000 settlers and Israeli troops out of the Gaza Strip by the end of next year. The authorities fear that the extremists want to trigger a violent backlash by Palestinians that would make it impossible for Sharon's government to pull out of Gaza.
SOURCE: International Herald Tribune