Terrorists: War report 'proves Israel losing'

Terrorists: War report 'proves Israel losing'
Withdrawals embolden militants to continue 'fighting the Zionists'

Palestinian terror leaders here claimed today an interim report released this week into Israel's war in Lebanon proves the Jewish state lost the conflict.

They told WND recent Israeli political and military moves embolden them to continue fighting the Jewish state, declaring the "Zionists" will soon be defeated.

"This report shows that the detriment started by us in the first intifada that brought the Palestine Liberation Organization to Israel, then the second intifada and the Hezbollah resistance that brought Israel to withdrawal from Lebanon (in 2000) and our rockets that brought about the Gaza withdrawal and this latest victory by Hezbollah is all being accounted for as Israeli defeats," said Ala Senakreh, leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror organization in the northern West Bank.

The Brigades, the declared "military wing" of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, took responsibility for every suicide bombing in Israel the past two years.

Muhammad Abdel-El, spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees terror organization, told WND, "The psychological barrier that the Arabs can't defeat the Zionists has been destroyed. It was destroyed in Gaza, in Lebanon, and now we are sure we can chase the Israelis from the West Bank and the rest of Palestine if we keep fighting."

The Committees is responsible for scores of shootings and rocket attacks and is accused of the 2003 bombing of a U.S. convoy in Gaza that killed three American servicemen.

Abu Muhammad, a senior leader of Islamic Jihad in the northern West Bank town of Jenin, told WND, "Yes, the Israelis were courageous to publish this report, but it proves the Israelis are not like they once were, they can be beaten."

Muhammad said Israel's "loss" in Lebanon and its withdrawal from Gaza altered the average Palestinian's perception of Israel.

"A boy is no more afraid of soldiers he meets in West Bank. This is the big difference. It doesn't matter if Olmert is brought down and if (Likud leader Benjamin) Netanyahu takes his place. We are 100-percent sure Israel will be defeated."

An interim Lebanon war probe released Monday widely criticized Olmert's decision-making during last summer's conflict against the Hezbollah militia. The report blasted Olmert and the military high command for rushing into what it termed an unplanned conflict that cost 162 Israeli lives but failed to destroy Hezbollah or free two Israeli soldiers captured in a Hezbollah border raid.

Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz were strongly criticized for failing to appropriately consult with military experts before or during the war.

Not all terror leaders, however, were critical of the interim war report. In an unprecedented move, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah yesterday offered praise of Israel for the Jewish state's willingness to criticize itself.

During a televised appearance in Beirut, Nasrallah said he "respected" Israel's virtue.

"I will not gloat. It is worthy of respect that an investigative commission appointed by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert condemns him," Nasrallah said. "When the enemy acts honestly and sincerely, you cannot but respect it."

"Even though they're our enemies, it is worthy of respect that the political forces and the Israeli public act quickly to save their state, entity, army and their existence in the crisis," Nasrallah added.

"When it comes to survival, the Zionists are prepared to sacrifice Olmert and a thousand more like him."

Nasrallah affirmed the interim report proved Israel lost the war against his militia.

"The report is a clear declaration of defeat for Israel. The report wrote the word failure more than 100 times," he said.

The Hezbollah leader took the occasion to poke fun at Defense Minister Peretz, who during the war vowed "to make Nasrallah remember" his name. Laughing, Nasrallah promised to "never forget" the name Amir Peretz.