Monday, September 8, 2008

By Saleh al Naeimi Asharq Al-Awsat [English] 07/09/2008
http://aawsat.com:80/english/news.asp?section=1&id=13985

Gaza, Asharq Al-Awsat - Shortly after nightfall, blinding heavy dust
suddenly rises over the Al-Sikkah Street, which is adjacent from the western
side to the Birkat al-Wazz, to the west of the Al-Maghazi Refugee Camp in
the middle of the Gaza Strip.

At the same time, the sound of heavy fire can be heard, while minutes later,
tens of men belonging to the al-Qassam Brigades, military wing of the Hamas
Movement, are seen moving fast in columns in the street with their full
military gear.

To the north of that neighborhood, lies the garrison of "Battalion 13",
which is the main training location of the al-Qassam Brigades in the area.
In the past, this site belonged to the security agencies of Palestinian
President Mahmud Abbas, but it was seized during the decisive military
action that ended with Hamas's takeover of the Gaza Strip.

Since the calm agreement between Israel and Hamas came into play, it has
been clearly evident that Palestinian resistance factions, without
exception, have taken advantage of the ceasefire by conducting military
training for their recruits.

The al-Qassam Brigades have recently announced on several occasions the
graduation of new groups of fighters. While a number of other military
Palestinian factions have set up training sites in former Jewish
settlements. These sites are regarded as the best environment for conducting
military training because they are uninhabited, have sandy hills, and are
very close to the seacoast. In addition to the al-Qassam Brigades, the
Al-Quds Brigades, military wing of the Islamic Jihad; the Al-Aqsa Martyrs
Brigades, a military group belonging to the Fatah Movement; and the Al-Nasir
Salah-al-Din Brigades, military wing of the Palestinian Popular Resistance
Committees, have all announced the completion of military exercises and in
the process the training of more fighters, while the Abu-Ali Mustafa
Brigades, military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine, recently announced the start of registration for its military
training.

The calm [with Israel] has encouraged resistance movements to conduct
military exercises inside Palestinian residential areas that are close to
the border areas, without approaching the contact lines with the Israeli
army. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, spokesman for the Popular Resistance
Committees Abu-Mujahid said the training exercises that are carried out by
the armed Palestinian resistance movements are part of these movements'
preparations to confront any large-scale Israeli military operation in the
heart of the Gaza Strip. He added: "Given the threats by (Israeli Defense
Minister) Baraq and his chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi [chief of the army
general staff] to carry out an incursion into Gaza when the calm period
ends, it is quite obvious that the resistance factions have no option, but
to take maximum precautionary measures and be on guard in order to confront
any aggression." Abu-Mujahid said the training includes training in the
abduction of soldiers, in addition to a number of martial arts, which
military commanders learned from their direct clashes with the occupation
forces. He pointed out that the resistance factions "learned lessons from
their actions during Israeli military operations in the heart of the Gaza
Strip." He threatened Israel with "unpleasant surprises if Israel attacks
the Gaza Strip."