MIDEAST: HEBRON TUNNEL, HAMAS PROTESTS, THREATENS PNA

MIDEAST: HEBRON TUNNEL, HAMAS PROTESTS, THREATENS PNA

(ANSAmed) - GAZA, OCTOBER 15 - There is a risk that the cooperation underway on the West Bank between Palestinian and Israeli security forces will spark a revolt by the Palestinian people against the PNA of Abu Mazen (Mahmud Abbas). This warning was issued by Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for the armed wing of Hamas, following the destruction of a tunnel in Hebron.

A political spokesperson for Hamas, Sami Abu Zuhri, observed that the cooperation between Israel and the PNA in the demolition of that tunnel shows how Abu Mazen's security forces "are committed to preventing any attack against the Isrealis". The spokesperson for the military wing, Abu Obeida, added that this behaviour of the Palestinian security forces shows a form of "moral deterioration". At this point, therefore, a revolt by the people against them cannot be ruled out.

Moreover, Hamas protested about the demolition, which took place yesterday on the border between Gaza and Egypt, of seven tunnels, presumably used for smuggling of weapons and other things. The collapse of that tunnel, says Hamas, happened while Egyptian security forces were working on it. (ANSAmed).

TEL AVIV, OCTOBER 15 - The threat of "explosive tunnels" dug up in the Gaza strip by Hamas in the past has now arrived also in the West Bank with the goal of striking Israeli targets by surprise. The Israeli Army Radio reported military engineers blew up a 100-meter-long tunnel at Hebron in the West Bank today. The tunnel was excavated by Palestinians for still unclear purposes. It was the first time, the radio said, the Israeli military found such a tunnel in the West Bank.

Local Palestinian sources pointed out the tunnel was spotted by security officials of the Palestinian National Authority and they added they thought the tunnel might have been dug for profit, for instance, in the hope of finding archeological objects in the area.

Yet the Israeli Army went ahead and dynamited it right away without further investigations, also becuase the tunnel was very close to a military outpost.

The radio reported strict secuirity measures were imposed in the area because thousands of Israelis were expected to visit Hebron on the occasion of the Sukkot (Feast of the Tents) holiday. (ANSAmed).