Israel rejects criticism over sheikh’s abduction

Press, 31 July 1989, Page 10

Israel rejects criticism over sheikh’s abduction

NZPA-Reuter Jerusalem Israel has rejected growing international criticism of its abduction of a pro-Iranian Muslim leader and dismissed threats of retaliation by guerrillas in southern Lebanon. A former Lebanese Prime Minister, Salim alHoss, said on Saturday he had received reports that Sheikh Abdel Kareem Obeid was wounded when commandos seized him from his home in Jebsheet village in southern Lebanon on Friday, Israel radio said. Al-Hoss called on the International Red Cross to check the reports.

As international condemnation of Obeid’s abduction continued to mount on Saturday, the only Israeli reaction was a terse Foreign Ministry statement. “Israel has never ceased its struggle against terrorism and would not refrain from future activity to prevent terrorist attacks,” the statement said.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Javier Perez de Cuellar, condemned the seizing and

called for the Hizbollah (Party of God) movement leader’s release, Israel radio said.

Britain deplored the abduction, and the United States President, George Bush, indirectly criticised it, saying kidnapping and violence did not further the peace process. Egypt and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation called the abduction State terrorism.

“Such acts do not help the cause of peace. Rather, they open the way for extremism and violence that will burn Israel,” said the Egyptian Foreign Affairs Minister, Boutros Boutros Ghali. Members of Hizbollah vowed retaliation.

“By attacking a clergyman, Israel has violated the immunity of Muslim sanctities. This will prompt Muslims to strike at Jewish religious leaders in the future,” said Sheikh Abbas Musawi, a senior cleric in the Hizbollah movement.

The Iranian Prime Minister, Hossein Mousavi, said the seizing “will definitely heighten the just struggle of Lebanese Muslims against Israel.”

Iran supports the Hizbollah movement in Lebanon.

However, Israel radio said Israeli Army sources felt Hizbollah members would be unable to mount a military reaction because they had suffered such a severe psychological blow.

The Army said on Friday that Shiekh Obeid had been responsible for planning attacks against Israel. Sheikh Obeid was said by sources in Lebanon to have planned the February, 1988, kidnapping of United States Marine colonel, William Higgins, 'then part of the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. Israel has refused to say why it seized Sheikh Obeid, but there was speculation that the Army intended to use him to obtain the release of three soldiers who have been held hostage in Lebanon since 1986. Mr Musawi said Hizbollah would never agree to Sheikh Obeid’s being part of a prisoner exchange. “A swap is not acceptable at all,” said Musawi.