The new leader, wounded in a September 10, 2003 Israeli strike (IslamOnline)
Hamas has revealed the identity of this week's leader of the terrorist group. From the WorldTribune:
GAZA CITY – Hamas has quietly appointed Mahmoud A-Zahar to head the movement in the Gaza Strip.Hamas sources said Mahmoud A-Zahar, 53, was selected as the organization's new head in the Gaza Strip. A-Zahar succeeds Abdul Aziz Rantisi, who was assassinated in an Israeli missile strike on Saturday.
The appointment was decided by Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Masha'al, the sources said. Masha'al, based in Damascus, became the undisputed leader of Hamas over the past month in wake of the Israeli assassination of Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin.
Hamas, on orders from Masha'al, did not announce the appointment of A-Zahar. The sources said the appointment was kept secret to avoid another Israeli assassination attempt.
Like Rantisi, A-Zahar has been a physician and served as the personal doctor of Yassin. For the last month, A-Zaharin served as Rantisi's deputy.
A-Zahar, who survived an Israeli assassination attempt in September 2003, was described as being different from Rantisi. A-Zahar was termed a moderate in Hamas who has raised the prospect of a 10-year ceasefire with Israel.
Hamas sources said A-Zahar was one of the few political leaders left in the movement. Most of the political leadership, with access to funding abroad, was killed by Israel over the last two years. They said military leader Mohammed Deif has been recruited into the political leadership to groom him to take over the organization.
Hamas has pledged to avenge the Israeli assassination of Rantisi.
Overnight Monday, Hamas gunners fired eight Kassam-class short-range missiles and Al Bana anti-tank missiles toward Israeli targets in the Gaza Strip and inside Israel. At least one Israeli was injured.
"Hamas might have a crisis on its hands after losing its leaders," Hamas spokesman Ismail Haniyeh, expected to become A-Zahar's deputy, said. "But it will not be defeated."
According to CAMERA, Al-Zahar has been quoted in the New York Times praising the March 2002 Passover attacks against Israel:
“Forty were killed and 200 injured — in just two operations,”al-Zahar said with a smile.” (April 4, 2002.)Al-Zahar once explained to the BBC that “all Israelis are militants ... [there are] no civilian Israelis.” (Oct 3, 2001)
Ahhh.......New future road kill. A brand new target with a bullseye on his forehead.......by the way....speaking of Hamas.....did anyone see that O'Reilly had Hatem Bazian on his show last night?
"Like Rantisi, A-Zahar has been a physician and served as the personal doctor of Yassin."
Likely had time on his hands these past few weeks. As for being a physician, I guess he failed the Hyppocratic Oath exam.
/extreme sarcasm
"Al-Zahar once explained to the BBC that “all Israelis are militants ... [there are] no civilian Israelis.”
And all Hamas supporters are militants...[there are] no civilian Hamas supporters. YOU figure it out, Mahmoud.
"Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Masha'al, based in Damascus, became the undisputed leader of Hamas over the past month in wake of the Israeli assassination of Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin."
Read: No one else would take the position! LOL Time for the IDF to "whisper" in (through?)Bashar's pointed ear, though.
" The sources said the appointment was kept secret to avoid another Israeli assassination attempt."
Some secret. Hmmmm.... what's that quip about government?- "the ship of state leaks from the top down". Mossad's got a mole in there, somewhere high-up.
yah, d.c. saw it and thought o'reilly got rolled. bazian spun him in his no-spin zone and o'reilly hasn't figured it out yet. congratulations to you, though, for your tenacious follow-up in getting the story to o'reilly. your efforts paid off.
Who will be next weeks leader of Hamas? Any brave volunteers? [Fourteen thousand virgins - guaranteed]
Great secret.
What a well kept secret indeed.
Does anyone know his global satellite position? (Sorry, my Mosad friend is innocently asking again.)
D.C., I saw it, too. And it sure looked like Bazian pulled the wool over his eyes. I'm really surprised at O'Reilly. He was more like a domesticated cat than the tiger he usually is. Even the guy who interviewed the main leader of Hamas (forget his name) on the BBC was more aggressive! Let's get those e-mails and phone calls out to O'Reilly.