Let the Third Intifada commence.
“” Reza Aslan (@rezaaslan) February 25, 2013
Even if they wanted to, the Palestinian Authority leaders with whom Obama is demanding that Israel negotiate can’t rein in Hamas. “Hamas Leaders Admit to Building Tunnels to Kidnap Israelis,” by Adam Kredo for the Washington Free Beacon, October 21 (thanks to Block Ness):
Hamas leaders confessed on Monday that they had been planning to kidnap Israelis using a recently discovered tunnel system burrowed deep beneath the Israeli-Gaza border, according to reports.
The admission that Hamas is still seeking to kidnap and ransom Israelis has renewed concerns that a new round of violent demonstrations known as an intifada could sweep the region and jeopardize nascent peace talks.
Israeli authorities revealed last week that they had discovered a complex 1.5-mile tunnel system running from the Gaza Strip into a nearby Israeli kibbutz.
Hamas officials came clean about the tunnel on Monday when a senior leader admitted that the terror group was planning to abduct Israelis and ransom them to secure the release of imprisoned Palestinian terrorists.
“This tunnel was made by the hand of the fighters of (Izzadine) al-Qassam and they will not sleep in their efforts to hit the occupation and kidnap soldiers,” Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida was reported as saying on al-Aqsa radio, a Hamas-owned station.
“Kidnapping soldiers is the only way to succeed against the (Israeli) occupation,” Obeida was quoted as saying by the Palestinian Ma”an News Agency.
The Hamas leader vowed to continue efforts to spark violence and kidnap Israelis.
“We are working on the ground and under the ground to release the prisoners,” Obeida said.
Hamas secured the release of more than 1,000 prisoners in 2011 under a deal that bought freedom for kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Middle East experts said Hamas” admission is another sign that the group is not backing down from its violent agenda as U.S. officials attempt to foster a peace deal….