People - Profile
The Maestro of Difficult Missions Ahmed Al-Jabari - Military Leader of Hamas in Gaza Ahmed Al-Jabari has suddenly surfaced after years of clandestine military activity with Hamas. He has become one of the most influential leaders of the movement, with final say in its most important decisions.
Ahmed Al-Jabari with Mahmoud al-Zahar, one of Hamas co-founders, in a photo op days after of Fatah’s defeat in Gaza, July 2007.
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urprisingly, Ahmed Al-Jabari never expected the Israeli rockets could reach his house in the Shuga›aya district in the heart of Gaza. He always trusted his skilful ability to carry out underground military operations, and the very cautious strides he takes, including the walls of secrecy that strictly encompassed his work. Clearly, AlJabari thought his multiple aptitudes would allow him to stroll freely and thereby deceive the Israeli Intelligence, who would be unable to track his whereabouts. But suddenly, on August 17th 2004, an Israeli rocket broke Gaza’s stony silence, aiming directly at his house. At that moment, one of his relatives was visiting Al-Jabari. This visit, it was later discovered, had been tracked by Israeli authorities. The unexpected Israeli raid culminated , in the death of Al-Jabari s eldest
son, Mohammed, most of his guests, and left a slight wound in one of AlJabri’s legs. From then on, Al-Jabari did not have a peaceful night’s sleep. This failed assassination attempt was the first but it would not be the last, as it was followed by four successive attacks, the last occurring during the latest war in Gaza. Al-Jabari is now wanted by the Israeli authorities, and the Israeli military wants him dead or alive. They pursue him wherever he is, and have already managed to spot him more than once, but he has managed to escape. Al-Jabari always says to his fellow Hamas members, that he is no longer afraid of bullets or rockets. He knows that the date of his death is written on the warhead of an Israeli missile that hasn›t hit him yet. , It may be on its way, but he doesn t care anymore.
He is content to have spent half of his 45 years in armed resistance, during which he became part of the leadership of Hamas, , the second man in the movement s military wing, the Qassam Brigades, and one of its political decision makers. Being responsible for one of Hamas’ most notorious strategies– the abduction of the Israeli soldier Shalit – has made the name of Ahmed Said Al-Jabari surface once again. It made his name known to Palestinians and Israelis alike. AlJabri is solely responsible for making any decision regarding this issue. Hamas› leadership cannot take any negotiation steps concerning Shalit without first consulting Al-Jabari. They trust him, to the extent that he has the authority of determining the conditions for a negotiation with , Israel over Shalit. Hamas s leadership , believes that Israel s agreement to 40
30 October, 2009