HIZBULLAH ESTABLISHES HQ IN GAZA

TEL AVIV [MENL] -- The Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah has established a command
center in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials said Hizbullah, based in Beirut, set up the center in the
Gaza Strip in wake of the Israeli withdrawal in September 2005. The
headquarters has been used to transfer money and orders to operatives in the
West Bank.

"Hizbullah has set up a forward HQ in the Gaza Strip to provide a direct
link with terrorists in Judea and Samaria [West Bank] to transfer funds and
instructions," an Israeli government statement said on Monday. "Hizbullah
conditions the receipt of such funds on the perpetration of terrorist acts
against Israeli targets, regardless of the particular ideology of the cells
and terrorists involved."

This was the first time the Israeli government reported the operation of a
Hizbullah center in the Gaza Strip. In early 2005, military sources said
Hizbullah agents infiltrated Palestinian areas of the Gaza Strip and were
recruiting operatives.
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