Syria is directly involved in terrorism and will not be granted immunity by Israel, the deputy defense minister said yesterday, but stopped short of claiming formal responsibility for the killing of a Hamas leader in Damascus.
Israeli security sources have acknowledged Israel was responsible for the killing of Izz Eldine Subhi Sheik Khalil in a car bombing on Sunday. Hamas and Syria blamed Israel for the attack, and the group vowed to take revenge.
Security at Israeli diplomatic missions abroad is being increased in response to the Hamas threats, Israeli government officials said.
Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim said the issue was not who killed Khalil, but rather Syria's deep involvement in terrorism.
"Syria is responsible for directing terrorism against us and therefore it is not immune from our operations to prevent terrorism," Boim told Israel Radio.
"This is a central thing that needs to be said ... anyone who hurts Israel, anyone who takes part in terrorism that leads to murder and death ... of Israelis, he'll pay for it, and it doesn't matter if he operates in Israel or abroad," he added.
Boim described Syria as a "central intersection" of terrorism and Syrian President Bashar Assad as the "traffic officer" directing the operations and harboring the groups.
Hamas' threats, Boim said, should not be taken lightly, "but we have to very aware and not take our eyes off the special place Syria holds in the chain of terrorism, regionally and globally."
Meanwhile, Israeli troops hunting militants raided a West Bank hospital on yesterday, and Palestinian witnesses reported exchanges of fire in the area.
In the Gaza Strip, three Palestinians were killed by army fire, including two militants and a civilian who stood at the gate of the school when he was hit.
In the West Bank raid, dozens of Israeli armored vehicle entered the town of Jenin and the adjacent refugee camp by the same name before dawn yesterday. Witnesses said soldiers took over several buildings, including a school and a government office, and exchanged fire with gunmen.
Three Palestinians were wounded, hospital officials said.
After dawn, troops entered the private al-Arazi Hospital, the army said, confirming Palestinian witness reports. Yehiyeh Alan, who lives near the hospital, said he saw a firefight outside the hospital.
In other operations, the army imposed curfews on two refugee camps adjacent to the West Bank city of Nablus and sealed off all exits, witnesses said.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli soldiers fired machine guns toward the Khan Younis refugee camp, Palestinian security officials said. A 55-year-old civilian was killed as he stood at the gate of a local school, the officials said.
Also in Gaza, killed two armed Palestinians near the Jebaliya refugee camp, the army said. The militants, who were carrying explosives, were crawling in a no-go zone near the border fence with Israel when soldiers opened fire, the army said.
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