RAMALLAH/GAZA - Hamas released a statement on Monday condemning the killing of Osama bin Laden, calling the event an "assassination" of an "Arab holy warrior."
Striking a very different tone, the Palestinian Authority said on Monday the
killing of al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden by US forces was "good for the cause of peace."
There was no immediate reaction from the competing Hamas Islamist movement which governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas is critical of US policy in the Middle East and deeply hostile to Israel.
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World leaders breathe sigh of relief over bin Laden hitIslamists: Bin Laden death will not mute Jihad call"Getting rid of bin Laden is good for the cause of peace worldwide but what counts is to overcome the discourse and the methods -- the violent methods -- that were created and encouraged by bin Laden and others in the world," PA spokesman Ghassan Khatib said.
Palestinians hit the headlines after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New
York and Washington, carried out by al Qaida, when a small group were
filmed celebrating in East Jerusalem.
At the time, there were bigger demonstrations in the Gaza Strip in
support of the attacks. Palestinians partly blame their national plight
on US support for Israel.
However, the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat banned such public
displays and voiced sympathy for the dead in the United States.
In Ramallah, the PA's view was shared by Ahmed Saleh, a 58-year-old
retired Palestinian. "The world is better without bin Laden. It has
removed a pillar of evil from the world," he said. "His heinous actions
were exploited to allow hostile policies toward the Arabs and Muslims."
But Umm Mohammed, a veiled woman, said she hoped news of bin Laden's
death was a lie. "God willing, he will continue to conquer the West,"
she said.
In Gaza, Hamas now faces a challenge from al Qaida-inspired groups that
consider it too moderate. One such group was behind last month's killing
of a pro-Palestinian Italian activist in the territory.
Abdel-Qader Abu Shaaban, a 53-year-old Palestinian from Gaza, described bin Laden's killing as "a very criminal act".
"This is not a victory. If they assassinated bin Laden, there will be
others stronger than him: politicians and military people," he said.