Deported Hamas official urges Palestinians to `stalk’ settlers

JERUSALEM, Aug. 13 (JTA) — A Hamas official recently expelled from the United States has called on Palestinians to turn the lives of Jewish settlers “into an unbearable hell.” Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, whose comments were published in the United Arab Emirates, also told a magazine, “We call on our people in Palestine to stalk the herds of these spiteful settlers.” Marzook, who was the head of Hamas’ political wing, had lived in the United States for 15 years before he was detained at a New York airport in July 1995 because his name was on a list of suspected terrorists. Israel had asked for his extradition to bring him to justice for his alleged role in 10 terrorist attacks between 1990 and 1994 that took 47 lives. Hamas’ military wing had claimed responsibility for the attacks. After his 1995 arrest, Marzook remained in a New York jail while his lawyers fought the Israeli request. But Marzook took Israel by surprise in January, when he announced that he would no longer fight the extradition, apparently believing that his public profile was flagging and needed a boost. In April, Israel decided to drop its request to extradite him in apparent fear that putting him on trial in the region would provoke Palestinian violence. In an unusual deal, Jordan agreed in May to accept Marzook as a humanitarian gesture. Marzook, who gave up his U.S. residency under the deal, claimed at the time that Israel had withdrawn its extradition request because it had no evidence to support its charges against him.