Fed: Downer stops short of condemning Hamas killing

AAP General News (Australia)
04-18-2004
Fed: Downer stops short of condemning Hamas killing

Foreign Minister ALEXANDER DOWNER has described Israel's assassination of Hamas leader
ABDEL-AZIZ AL-RANTISSI as regrettable, saying it will inflame tensions in the Middle East.

But MR DOWNER has stopped short of condemning the killing, saying Hamas is a terrorist
organisation targeting Israeli civilians.

The Israeli army has confirmed it killed ABDEL-AZIZ AL-RANTISSI in an air strike on
his car in Gaza City.

RANTISSI had become one of its two main leaders since Israel's killing of Hamas spiritual
head AHMED YASSIN in Gaza on March 22.

MR DOWNER says assassinating the leader of Hamas is regrettable but from the Israeli
perspective, Hamas is an organisation which has deliberately targeted and killed innocent
Israelis.

The Australian Greens and Palestine's representative in Australia have both urged the
government to take a stronger stance against Israel's actions as Hamas vowed to take revenge
100 times over.

AAP RTV kmh/lm

KEYWORD: MIDEAST AUST (CANBERRA)

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