Islamic Jihad's only radio station in the Gaza Strip went off the air yesterday fearing its studios would be targeted by Israel. Saleh al-Masri, director of Al-Quds Radio (102.7 FM), said the decision to suspend the broadcasts followed Israeli charges that the station was inciting violence. He claimed that Palestinian journalists and media outlets were being targeted by Israel "as part of its comprehensive aggression" on the Palestinians. "Palestinian journalists are being targeted because they are exposing Israel's lies," he said. "[Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon's government is practicing terror by killing the elderly and children and destroying various institutions." Earlier in the day several media organizations evacuated their staff from a building in downtown Gaza City following rumors that Israeli helicopters were about to fire missiles at the studios, located in the same compound. More than a year ago Israeli helicopters fired a number of missiles toward the Hamas-run Al-Jeel press office in the same building. It was not clear when, if at all, the Islamic Jihad radio station would resume its broadcasts. Earlier this week the station interviewed many Islamic Jihad supporters in the Gaza Strip who called for stepping up the armed struggle against Israel. The interviews were conducted in the aftermath of the killing by the IDF of Muhammed Sheikh Khalil, commander of the armed wing of Islamic Jihad in the southern Gaza Strip.
Khaled al-Batsh, a senior Islamic Jihad official in the Gaza Strip, said his group was prepared to abide by the unofficial truce with Israel on condition that Israel halts its ongoing military operations.
"If Israel stops its air raids on the Gaza Strip and returns to the tahdiyah [calm], then Islamic Jihad will also abide by the tahdiyah," Batsh said. "The ball is now in the Israeli court." Batsh's statement marks a change in the position of Islamic Jihad, whose leaders announced earlier this week that the group was no longer committed to the tahdiyah and would resume its terror attacks on Israel.
On Monday, Islamic Jihad lashed out at Hamas for declaring an end to its attacks on Israel, hinting that the decision was related to the parliamentary elections slated for next January. Sources in the Gaza Strip told The Jerusalem Post that both Hamas and Islamic Jihad had come under heavy pressure from Egypt to stop firing rockets at Israel.
According to the sources, the two group's decision to return to the period of calm was also the result of Israel's latest military offensive.
Said Siam, a top Hamas operative in the Gaza Strip, yesterday denied reports in the Arab media that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas had issued a stiff warning to his group to stop firing rockets at Israel. According to the reports, Abbas sounded the threat during a heated phone conversation Damascus-based Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal.
"These reports are malicious and unfounded," Siam told the Bethlehem-based Maan News Agency. "President Abbas did not talk in such language with Khaled Mashaal. The relationship between the two is based on mutual respect and understanding and President Abbas did not threaten to strike at Hamas." PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei yesterday expressed satisfaction with the decision taken by Hamas and Islamic Jihad to honor the tahdiyah and condemned Israel's raids on the Gaza Strip as "barbaric."
