An Internet site claiming to represent Al-Qaeda says the network has decided to launch suicide attacks against a new target, Israel, and says its goal is the destruction of the Jewish state. US government officials said they believe the Web site, www.mojahedoon.net, indeed speaks for Al-Qaeda. News of Al-Qaeda’s new anti-Israel focus comes a week after two terrorist attacks against Israeli interests in Kenya believed to be carried out by Al-Qaeda. ‘Al Qaeda hand in Pak attack’ Karachi: Macedonia said on Thursday Al Qaeda group may have bombed its consulate in Karachi, where three people were found dead. ‘‘According to information, an organiser of the attack could be a Pakistani cell of the Al Qaeda network,’’ the Macedonian Foreign Ministry said. No group has claimed responsibility for Thursday’s blast. Macedonian Foreign Ministry official Santa Argirova said the information came from its consul who said a message left on the building walls said: ‘‘We are from Al Qaeda-Pakistan. We will treat the unbelievers the way they treat us. This is a warning.’’ —Reuters Terrorism experts say Al-Qaeda’s announced entry into the already incendiary struggle between Palestinians and Israelis is a disturbing development likely to set off new violence. ‘‘The idea that Al-Qaeda is establishing a special cell to focus on Israelis is horrifying news,’’ said Rachel Bronson, director of West Asia Studies for the private Council on Foreign Relations. Al-Qaeda’s role could be extremely destabilizing, she added, because ‘‘it will be weighing in on the side of Hamas,’’ the Palestinian Islamic group deemed a terrorist organization by the US government. Hamas staunchly opposes peace with Israel and declares its entire territory Muslim land. The terror group’s announcement came shortly before President Bush, meeting at the White House with leaders of Kenya and Ethiopia, said that progress was being made against Al-Qaeda. ‘‘Slowly but surely we’re dismantling an Al-Qaeda network, and that inures to the benefit of all the countries of the world,’’ Bush said. Earlier this week, the Palestinian Authority denied accusations by a top Israeli military official that Al-Qaeda already is operating in the West Bank and Gaza. ‘‘These are cheap and untrue allegations,’’ the Palestinian Authority said in a statement released after a Cabinet meeting in Ramallah. The website announced formation of a new branch of Osama bin Laden’s terror network, the Islamic Al-Qaeda Organization in Palestine, and said it will work to undermine any negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The talks, now suspended, have been aimed at arranging an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in exchange for an end to Palestinian suicide bombings in Israel. The Al-Qaeda site said it rejects this course. ‘‘Islamic Al-Qaeda in Palestine joins its voice with the voices of the mujahideen in Palestine in its resistance to the partial and submissive solutions (land for peace), and will accept nothing but the full liberation of the Palestinian land,’’ said the site, which was originally brought to light publicly and translated from the Arabic. The new Palestinian arm of Al-Qaeda ‘‘will defeat the Zionist Jewish invaders (and) return them to the place . whence they came,’’ the website said. (LATWP)
