Missiles fired by Israeli helicopters early this afternoon struck the Ramallah office of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and killed the radical PLO faction's secretary general, Abu Ali Mustafa. Mustafa is the highest-ranking Palestinian leader to be targeted by Israeli security forces and his killing followed a decision by Israel's security cabinet to continue with its present policy of fighting terror.

Palestinian security officials said that Mustafa was in his second-floor office, located near Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's headquarters, when three missiles broke through the window. Mustafa was killed instantly in the attack. Palestinian sources reported that five people were also injured, including a mother and daughter who reside in the building.

The IDF said that the strike was in response for a string of bombing and shooting attacks in recent weeks for which PFLP claimed responsibility. IDF Radio reported that defense sources hold Abu Ali Mustafa personally responsible for directing the organization's terror operations. Military sources say the PFLP was behind the car bomb discovered last week on Horkanus Street near the Russian Compound police station in downtown Jerusalem. Mustafa was also reportedly involved in recent car bomb attacks in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim neighborhood, Or Yehuda and Yehud.

Mustafa, 63, whose real name is Mustafa Zibri, was elected two years to replace George Habash as leader of the PFLP. The Damascus-based radical Marxist faction of the PLO refuses to recognize the Oslo Accords and all other agreements between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Mustafa was allowed entry to Palestinian-controlled areas in September 1999 after the PA said it would restrain his terror activities. Military sources say he was instrumental in setting up the PFLP's terrorist cells in the West Bank.

After the failure of the Camp David summit last July, Mustafa told the Palestinian daily Al-Quds: "The issues of Jerusalem, the refugees, and sovereignty will be decided on the ground and not in negotiations. At this point it is important to prepare Palestinian society for the next step because we will undoubtedly find ourselves in confrontation with Israel in order to create new facts on the ground. I believe that the situation will in the future will be more violent than the Intifada."

Violent reaction promised
PFLP spokesman Maher al-Taher told Reuters his group would escalate its military attacks against Israel and avenge the killing of Abu Ali Mustafa. "The blood of Abu Ali Mustafa is very precious," Maher said. "We will respond to this crime in a bigger way. Israel will pay a heavy price for its crime."

The Syrian and Palestinian broadcasting stations interrupted their broadcasts to announce Mustafa's death. The Palestinian Authority declared a mourning period and the Intifada leadership announced a general strike.

Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo described Mustafa as one of the top five Palestinian leaders. He said that Israel had committed a crime against itself with the assassination. Rabbo said Israel would pay a heavy price for killing Mustafa. Palestinian cabinet secretary Ahmed Abed al-Rahman called the assassination an act of "state terrorism." al-Rahman warned that the Intifada would intensify as a result and blamed U.S. President George W. Bush for supporting Israel's policy of assassinations.

Israeli reactions mixed
Left wing and Arab Knesset members criticized the IDF strike against Mustafa. Opposition leader Yossi Sarid (Meretz) said, "There was no great intelligence operation here. He was not hiding but was sitting in his office. I would hope that we will not start killing other political leaders in their offices." Knesset member Zahava Gal-On (Meretz) charged that Israel's assassination policies lacked wisdom, were shortsighted and would lead to an increase of violent attacks on Israelis.

Knesset member Ahmed Tibi (Ta-al) called the Israeli strike a "war crime" and said it would be "paid for by bringing to trial those who are behind the criminal deed of assassinating a senior political leader." The Balad (National Democratic Alliance) Party released a statement condemning the killing. "Eliminating the Palestinian political leadership only escalates the battle," the statement said. Balad called for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's immediate resignation.

Deputy Minister Gideon Ezra praised the action and sent blessings to those who had carried it out. Environment Minister Tzachi Hanegbi also expressed support for the elimination of the Palestinian leader.

Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh (Labor) defended the attack because Mustafa's terrorist activities made him a "legitimate and necessary" target. Sneh charged that Mustafa turned "the PFLP back into what it was in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, an active and deadly terrorist organization." Even so, Sneh criticized the fact that the strike against Mustafa was carried out without first being discussed by the cabinet.

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