Thursday, November 1, 2012

Israeli paper releases details of Abu Jihad's killing in Tunis

Israeli paper releases details of Abu Jihad's killing in Tunis 
Published today (updated) 01/11/2012 22:42
TEL AVIV (Ma'an) -- An Israeli newspaper on Thursday published an interview with the commando who killed the PLO's second-in-command more than 20 years ago.

Israel never officially acknowledged its role in the April 1988 killing of Khalil al-Wazir, known as Abu Jihad. Most Palestinians had little doubt it was an Israeli operation.

Yediot Ahronoth on Thursday published an interview conducted with Nahum Lev, who led the operation, after military censors cleared the story. Lev died in a car accident in 2000.

The operation was overseen by Israel's intelligence service, Mossad, and conducted by elite commandos of Sayeret Matkal, the paper said.

Commandos entered Tunisia, where the Palestine Liberation Organization was based at the time, by sea and in disguise.

Lev said he attacked al-Wazir's villa in Tunis "without hesitation," due to his study of the PLO's connection to attacks on Israelis.

Abu Jihad was Yasser Arafat's deputy at the time. He was buried in Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria. His killing was condemned by the United States shortly after as an "act of political assassination."

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