GAZA CITY (AFP) — The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas joined Hezbollah on Wednesday in accusing Israel of murdering one of the top commanders of the Lebanese Shiite movement, saying it was a "new example of Zionist gangsterism."
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, speaking to AFP in Gaza City, called on Arabs and Muslims to "face up to this Zionist octopus whose crimes are now passing beyond the Palestinian territories to touch the Arab and Islamic world."
Imad Mughnieh, who was head of Hezbollah's special operations unit, was wanted for his suspected role in a string of deadly attacks. He was assassinated on Tuesday night in a Damascus bombing.
In the Syrian capital, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command accused Israel's Mossad spy agency of being behind the killing.
"Imad Mughnieh was assassinated by the Zionist Mossad ... which was aware of the important status of the martyr and the privileged role he played in the jihad (holy war)," said a statement faxed to AFP.
"The Zionist murderers and their agents should know that the resistance will respond by aiming its bullets and its explosives at the leaders of Zionist terrorism and their agents," the statement added.
Initially Israel officials declined to comment on Mughnieh's killing although senior politicians welcomed news of the demise of a man they held responsible for a spate of deadly attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets.
Later however the office of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert put out ma statement formally denying any role.
"Israel rejects any attempt by terrorist organisations to attribute to it any implication in this affair," the statement said. "We have nothing else to add."
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