Ayman Halaweh, leader of the militant Izzadin al-Qassam brigades of Hamas, and another passenger were killed Monday evening in Nablus when their car exploded. Palestinians blamed Israel for the attack. This morning, a senior Islamic Jihad activist was captured by an IDF undercover unit near Hebron, Palestinians claimed. The IDF has neither confirmed nor denied either action.

Palestinian sources reported that a bomb exploded in Halaweh's car in the vicinity of A-Najah University, instantly killing Halaweh and mortally wounding a second Hamas activist traveling with him. The car was reportedly a stolen Israeli vehicle that Halaweh had received a few days ago. Palestinians suggested that a collaborator working with Israel planted explosives inside the vehicle, and that it was detonated by remote control.

According to ynet, Palestinian security forces discovered an identity card in the car belonging to a citizen by the name of Azmi Masri. Palestinians said the fake identity, probably used by Halaweh, delayed identification of the victims of the car bombing for several hours.

Israeli officials did not confirm Israeli responsibility for the bombing, but said that Halaweh, 26, had participated in planning and organizing attacks this year that killed 48 Israelis. His name reportedly topped Israel's wanted list.

Spokesmen for the Prime Minister's Office charged that Halaweh was likely involved in almost every major Hamas bombing in the past year, including the Sbarro pizzeria bombing. Halaweh also allegedly organized the suicide attack at Tel Aviv's Dolphinarium, and actually fitted suicide bombers with their explosive packs, Israel Radio reported.

Halaweh was reportedly one of the most senior militants in the Hamas's military wing in Samaria, and became the Izzadin al-Qassam's leader after IDF missiles killed Jamal Mansour and Jamal Salim in July. On July 17 Israel demanded that the Palestinian Authority arrest Halaweh. The Palestinians called the Hamas militant in for brief questioning and reportedly warned him that he had been targeted by Israel. Israel repeatedly called for Halaweh's apprehension, but he was not arrested.

Maariv reported that Halaweh personally prepared explosive devices, and also led the Hamas recruitment of suicide bombers. Most of Halaweh's recruits came from A-Najah University in Nablus, but he was also responsible for enlisting Muhammed Shakher Havishi, the first Israeli Arab suicide bomber from the village of Abu Snan in northern Israel.

Security sources told Maariv that Halaweh was planning additional terrorist attacks, and his elimination was described as a "difficult blow" to the Hamas military wing. West Bank Hamas activist Adnan Asfour told The Guardian this morning, "The revenge of Hamas will be swift." Asfour charged that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was using the IDF incursion into Area A as a means "to continue the chain of assassination against the Palestinian people."

Islamic Jihad activist captured in Hebron
Palestinian sources reported this morning that an IDF undercover unit kidnapped senior Islamic Jihad activist Yusuf Salameh Tbeshe near his home in the village of Hurisa, in the Hebron area.

Tbeshe, 30, was one of the Hamas activists deported to Lebanon by then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1992. Unnamed Palestinian sources cited in ynet said that Tbeshe was active in the Islamic Jihad's political leadership, and was not involved in its military operations. They said he was a teacher and was abducted on his way to school.

Army Radio reported that Israel suspects Tbeshe of involvement in terrorist activities. The Jerusalem Post reported that military sources confirmed that the IDF's Duvdevan undercover unit had arrested Tbeshe early this morning near his home.

In another action overnight, IDF bulldozers destroyed the Kalkilya home of Saeed Hotary, the suicide bomber who blew himself up at the Tel Aviv Dolphinarium discotheque on June 1, killing 22 young people, most of them new immigrants from the former Soviet Union.

The demolition of the family homes of terrorists was a method of punishment used by Israel frequently prior to the Oslo Accords. This was the first time the IDF has taken such an action in territories controlled by the Palestinian Authority, Ha'aretz reported.

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