Israel Government: STATEMENT ON ABDUL AZIZ RANTISI
(Communicated by the Israel Government Press Office)
Tuesday, June 10, 2003

Abdul Aziz Rantisi is among the most extremist leaders of the criminal Hamas organization in Gaza. He has preached and directed murder, sabotage, terror and incitement for many years.

Since the Aqaba summit, and in order to wreck the process begun at Aqaba, Rantisi has stepped up his murderous activities, both openly and covertly; this has found expression - inter alia - in the awful act of terror that was perpetrated recently at Erez checkpoint. The State of Israel has every reason to assume that Rantisi's criminal activities will increase.

The Palestinian Authority has been well aware of Rantisi's activities for some time but is taking no action to stop them. Thus, the State of Israel has been compelled to protect its citizens and try to halt this arch-terrorist's murderous actions, the danger of which is increasing.