Israel planned to terminate other officials in the Islamic Jihad

Egyptian officials cited in "The New Arab" claimed that Israel violated its promise not to assassinate Baha Abu al-Ata. They further claimed that other members of the organization were targeted.

By YASSER OKBI/MAARIV
FILE PHOTO: Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander Baha Abu Al-Ata attends an anti-Israel military show at Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, June 20, 2019 (photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM/FILE PHOTO)
FILE PHOTO: Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander Baha Abu Al-Ata attends an anti-Israel military show at Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, June 20, 2019
(photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM/FILE PHOTO)
Less than a month after the death of Islamic Jihad official Baha Abu al-Ata Egyptian officials claimed on Saturday in The New Arab paper that "Israel assassinated him despite its previous promises to avoid killing him."
They stated the assassination brought about deterioration and a threat from the Egyptian government to no longer mediate between Israel and the various Palestinian factions, which initially prevented the further assassinations of Islamic Jihad officials.
According to them, Israel had also intended to assassinate officials of both the political and military wings of the Islamic Jihad.
The Egyptian sources further told the paper that preventative security measures have been taken by Egypt in regard to previous visits to Cairo of Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials to make sure they are not assassinated.
"Israel did not rule out the possibility that they would be assassinated," The officials said. "There is a disagreement on this at the top of the intelligence and security offices of Israel there is a disagreement on this policy."
They even stated that for the first time, the security services in charge of the officials living quarters are using advanced technology to prevent their assassination.
Last month, al-Ata and his wife were killed in an Israeli air force attack. The IDF said that the building he was in was attacked, and added that the assassinated official was in charge of a large number of terrorist attacks, shootings, drone and rockets among them, and was defined as a "ticking time-bomb."
After the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that: "The IDF assassinated the Islamic Jihad terrorist official in the Gaza Strip."
Over the last year, this arch-terrorist was the main cause of terror from the Strip. Over the last year this Arch terrorist planned and executed a great number of attacks, and was in the midst of planning more.
He was a ticking bomb." According to Netanyahu, the suggestion of killing him was discussed in the cabinet and was recommended by the chief of staff and other security forces.

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"The decision was approved by the cabinet unanimously ten days ago. The cabinet has empowered me to order the operation at a date suggested by the IDF and the Shin Bet," Netanyahu said.
"The IDF and the Shin Bet indeed found such a date. They recognized a unique window of opportunity with a maximum chance of success and minimum chance of hurting civilians. In light of this, I had decided to approve the operation. I congratulate the IDF and the Shin Bet, and especially the IAF and the intelligence section for the successful and precise operation. All terrorists share the same assumption. They think they can hurt civilians and at the same time hide behind those same civilians, but we proved that you can hurt the killer with minimum involvement of innocents. Anyone who thinks that he can escape our long reach- is mistaken. Whoever hurts us, we will hurt them."   


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islamic jihad
Baha Abu al-Ata