The *FREE ARAB VOICE*
October 30, 2000

Dear Readers of the Free Arab Voice,

This issue of the Free Arab Voice tackles the feasibility of military
action as one of the activities of the ongoing Intifada:

1) Is Military Action in Palestine Feasible? A Free Arab Voice Editorial

2) Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces: Examples of Feasible Military Action in
Palestine, by the Arab Nationalist leaning Omar Al-Mokhtar group, a Free
Arab Voice Exclusive

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1) FAV Editorial: Is Military Action in Palestine Feasible?

Many articles argued recently against the adoption of the military
option in the second Intifada. These articles and posts were based
on the premise that we are neither ready nor prepared to fight with
weapons, where the Zionists enjoy an absolute advantage in that regard.
Some of the writers who hold these opinions rebuked those who drew
potential parallels between the successful guerilla warfare in South
Lebanon and the Intifada.  They stressed that unlike Hizbullah,
Palestinians are besieged in enclaves cut off from sources of military,
logistical, and financial supply, and have no geographical depth to
maneuver or establish control and command centers. Neither do they
have Syria or Iran behind them. Consequently, these writers claim
that the military option implies suicide.

What this point of view disregards, however, is that military action
is not a single monolithic entity. On the contrary, military action
includes a world of options. Indeed, a direct conventional confrontation
between Palestinians and the Zionists would be foolish at this point.
Moreover, to initiate a shootout with the invader from amongst Palestinian
children demonstrating in the street is equally foolish. But these two
options are by no means the sum total of military tactics available to
the Palestinians.

In the first stage of the resistance against the invader in South
Lebanon in the early and mid-eighties, Lebanese and Palestinian freedom
fighters adopted a tactic of hit and run operations, and the use of human
bombs behind enemy lines. At that point, the invader was still occupying
large swaths of South Lebanon, Beirut, and the Lebanese Mountains.  This
method of operation succeeded in liberating all of these areas with the
exception of the Border Strip Zone occupied in 1978, which finally was
liberated in the year 2000 after more than twenty years of heroic
resistance.

Thus, hit and run operations, and the use of human bombs behind enemy
lines are things that we are able to do if we are willing. Small groups
of freedom fighters can operate clandestinely and effectively to wreak
havoc on enemy morale and to bleed Zionists slowly over the long haul,
just like Hizbullah did.

This sort of activity is not a substitute, but rather a complement to
other forms of resistance adopted by the Palestinian people in the Intifada.
In fact, even if you do not believe in the total liberation of Palestine,
this sort of military action is indispensable to strengthen the Palestinian
hand at the negotiating table, now that it is obvious what sort of language
the invader understands.

Over the last few decades, the Palestinian resistance has trained thousands
in the arts of guerilla warfare. Neither does it lack hardware or cash to
conduct such warfare.  The problem, therefore, lies not in logistical or
technical details, but in a flagging political will. Arab regimes fear for
their thrones, and thus they have pledged to protect Zionist borders.
Arafat craves a throne, and thus he has pledged to cooperate with the CIA
to reach that end. The Arab bourgoisie fears for its wealth, and many
intellectuals and opposition groups have internalized defeat so deeply,
they won't even let themselves consider the military option in their
unconscious. And again, there are many who warn against the adoption
of the military option simply out of concern for the Palestinian people.
There are others, however, who cite technical difficulties only as a red
herring to conceal the fact that they have already chosen to abandon arms
as a strategic political choice, whether some forms of military action are
feasible or not.

But we have already seen where that sort of thinking leads the Palestinian
cause. For although Oslo led inexorably to a dead end, some defeatists are
trying to take us back to that dead end, by condemning the military option
categorically.

                                         THE FREE ARAB VOICE

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2) The Operations of the Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces: Examples of Feasible
Military Action in Palestine through Some of Their Communiques.  A Free Arab
Voice Special.

[Please note that in Arabic the day of the month is put before the month of
the year]

Military Communiqué No. (12)
Issued by Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces

On the morning of Monday, 30/10/2000, one of our groups blew up an explosive
charge reinforced with hand grenades in a Zionist patrol on the road leading
to a major Zionist position near the Gate of Salahidin, south of the Gaza
Strip.  Immediately afterwards, our fighters showered the Zionist patrol
with machine gun fire.  The enemy admitted to the operation and said that
one of its Nazi officers were wounded severely.  Our heroes were able to
retreat safely to their bases.

Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces
30/10/2000
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Military Communique No. (11)
Issued by Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces

On the evening of Sunday, 29/10/2000, one of our groups blew up a highly
explosive charge reinforced with hand grenades in a Zionist military patrol
that was escorting a bus carrying settlers, on the road leading to the
settlement of Moraj, south of the Gaza Strip. Our heroes followed up with
machine gun fire. Hits were scored. The enemy admitted to the operation.
Our heroes went back safely to their bases.

Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces
29/10/2000

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Military Communique No. (10)
Issued by Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces

On the morning of Thursday, 26/10/2000, our fighters detonated a highly
explosive charge reinforced with hand grenades as a Zionist patrol passed
by near the settlement of Kfar Droum in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.
Our heroes followed up with machine gun fire. There were confirmed hits
amongst Zionist soldiers. The Nazi enemy admitted to the operation and
of suffering hits. Our heroes were able to retreat safely.

Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces
26/10/2000
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Military Communiqué No. (9)
Issued by Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces

This morning, Wednesday, 25/10/2000, a group of heroes of the Omar
Al-Mokhtar Forces detonated a highly explosive bomb reinforced with hand
grenades next to a Zionist military convoy on the road to Rafah Khanyounes,
near the Zionist settlement (Moraj), in the south of the steadfast Gaza
Strip. After the explosion, the heroes showered the Zionist convoy with
machine gun fire.

This military operation inflicted casualties in the ranks of the Zionist
enemy, and caused damage to its machinery. The enemy confirmed this military
operation, while our heroes were able to retreat safely to their bases.

Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces,
25/10/2000
  ---------------------------------------------------
Military Communiqué No. (8)
Issued by Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces

According to the instructions of Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces leadership, several
fighting groups of the Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces attacked  several Zionist
targets with automatic weapons, hand grenades, explosive charges and molotov
cocktails during the last forty eight hours in different parts of occupied
Palestine, causing casualties and heavy losses to the enemy’s property and
machinery. All of this is part of the activities of the blessed second
Intifada. Moreover, this evening, Monday 23/10/2000, one of Omar Al-Mokhtar
groups fired a highly explosive bomb at a Zionist military convoy on the
road to Karmi, leading to (Nezarim) settlement, south of the steadfast Gaza
City. The explosion caused casualties in the lines of the Zionist enemy and
damage to its machinery. The enemy confirmed this military operation, while
our heroes were able to retreat safely to their bases.

Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces,
23/10/2000
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Military Communique No. (7)
Issued by Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces

In accordance with the instructions of the leadership of the Omar Al-Mokhtar
Forces, several of our groups moved on the night of Wednesday, 18/10/2000,
to attack a Zionist bus carrying settlers and escorted by a Zionist military
patrol in the region of Ghosh Qatief in Khan Younis.

In the meantime, another of our groups was attacking a Zionist checkpoint in
the same region.

Both attacks inflicted hits amongst Zionist soldiers, settlers, and
vehicles. The enemy admitted to both operations.  Our groups were
able to withdraw safely back to base.

Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces
18/10/2000
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Military Communiqué No. (6)
Issued by Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces

On Tuesday night, 17/10/2000, the Samer Barghouti Group attacked a Zionist
military checkpoint near Salahiddin Gate, in Rafah area south of the
steadfast Gaza Strip with machine guns and hand grenades. Several of the
enemy’s soldiers were wounded. The enemy confirmed this operation, and
confirmed casualties in their ranks. Meanwhile, our heroes were able to
retreat safely to their bases.

Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces,
18/10/2000
  ---------------------------------------------------
Military Communiqué No. (5)
Issued by Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces

The following actions were taken according to the instructions of the
Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces leadership, and in continuation of Al-Mokhtar
Forces strategy to confront the Zionist gunmen and settlers and strike
at their interests to prevent them from continuing their horrific crimes
against the children of our unarmed Palestinian people. Emphasizing
our people’s adherence to their just cause, our nation’s cause, to
resistance and people’s war as the only means to defeat the Zionist
enemy and liberate all of Palestine, in the manner of the Zionist
crushing defeat on the hands of the Islamic Resistance in the Lebanese
South, the following actions were taken: Since Wednesday afternoon
11/10/2000, several fighting groups of Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces planted
a number of highly explosive bombs on the road to Gosh Katif settlement
and the Al-Matahen crossroad leading to the same Zionist settlement in
Khan Younis in Gaza. When the Zionist patrol reached the bombs near the
settlement this evening, the Al-Mokhtar heroes detonated two bombs,
wounding several soldiers. Immediately, other enemy troops arrived
at the site. When one of their military vehicles reached the Al-Matahen
crossroad, the Al-Mokhtar heroes detonated a bomb in the vehicle and then
showered it with their machine gunfire, causing casualties in the enemies’
lines. The enemy confirmed the operation, while our heroes were able to
retreat safely to their bases.

Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces,
11/10/2000
  ---------------------------------------------------
Military Communiqué No. (4)
Issued by Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces

As part of the continued struggle against Zionist targets wherever
found throughout all of the land of Palestine, avenging the blood
of our innocent children, and answering the call and screams of our
bereaved mothers and every individual in the wounded Palestine, Omar
Al-Mokhtar Forces have, during the last forty-eight hours, continued
a series of successful operations that have achieved their purposes
throughout our Occupied Land. The most prominent operation was performed
after midnight on Sunday 8/10/2000, by the Infant Martyr Sara Hassan
Group, who attacked with machine gunfire a reconnoiterer Zionist convoy
carrying a group of the Zionist enemy’s security and intelligence
officials working in Gaza Airport on the road to Rafah gateway,
south of the steadfast occupied Gaza Strip. This lead to casualties
among the enemy’s lines, while our heroes were able to retreat back
safely to their bases. The enemy confirmed the operation and reported
casualties in their lines.

Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces,
8/10/2000
  ---------------------------------------------------
Military Communiqué No. (3)
Issued by Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces

According to the instructions of the Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces leadership
to a number of their groups in occupied Palestine, to hit Zionist
targets with all possible means and whenever possible, the Yahya Ayyash
Group attacked a Zionist military post on the entrance to the Palestinian
city, Rafah and caused casualties amidst the enemy lines with machine
guns and hand grenades, this morning, Friday 6/10/2000. The enemy
confirmed the operation and the injury of two of their soldiers.
Meanwhile, Omar Al-Mokhtar heroes were able to retreat safely to
their bases.

Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces,
6/10/2000
  ---------------------------------------------------
Military Communiqué No. (2)
Issued by Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces

In retaliation to the atrocity of the Zionist crimes against our
unarmed Arab Palestinian people, for firing at the heads of the
innocent, and to avenge all of the martyrs and wounded heroes of
our people’s uprising and in support of our people in their blessed
second Intifada prevailing throughout all of occupied Arab Palestine.
Our people are facing the Zionists’ bullets, missiles and helicopters,
unarmed and unprotected to prove to the world the true stance of the
Palestinian people to the purported Zionist peace and the peace of
cowards, traitors and some defeatist Arab leaders. In the shadow of
official Arabic and Islamic silence, our steadfast people have only
God, their will and their blood to defend Jerusalem and our sanctuaries
and every blessed speck of dust in Palestine, which the criminal Sharon
has tried to defile lately. Omar Al-Mokhtar leadership has issued
instructions to a number of its groups in occupied Palestine to hit
enemy reconnoiter targets.

Hence, the Martyr Mohammed Jamal Al-Durrah Group attacked one of
the Zionist enemy’s settlers near Bidea village, suburb of Nablus
in the occupied West Bank. this morning, Monday 2/10/2000, our heroes
were able to capture the settler and kill him with his own weapon.
This is a clear invitation to all Zionist settlers to pack their bags
and go back to where they came from. Our people will continue their
struggle against their violence and crimes, and against Zionist vanguards
in every form.  We will not let them settle in our holy land, and we will
not let them stay in Arab Palestine. Omar Al-Mokhtar heroes retreated
safely to their bases.

Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces,
2/10/2000
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Military Communique No. (1)
Issued by Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces

The Forces of Omar Al-Mokhtar executed recently a series of strikes
against Zionist targets in the Gaza strip and the land occupied in
1948. The last of these strikes was planting several explosive charges
on the road leading to the Zionist settlement of Netsarim in the Gaza
Strip. The instant a convoy of settlers drove by on the night of
Thursday, 28/9/2000, our forces blew up the charges and followed up
with a hail of machine gun fire. Many of the settlers and their cars
were hit as a result.  Our forces were able to retreat safely to
their bases.

Omar Al-Mokhtar Forces
28/9/2000

Long live Palestine Free and Arab.
Glory and immortality to the faithful martyrs of our people and nation.
We pledge to continue with the revolution and the resistance until the
Zionist enemy is defeated, and until Palestine, all of Palestine, is
liberated.
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