Israelis protesting the assassination of Yassin

CAIRO, March 24 (IslamOnline.net) – Israel will not be safer after the assassination of sheikh Ahmad Yassin, the spiritual leader of the Islamic resistance movement Hams, an IslamOnline.net poll showed Wednesday, March 24.

Of 7556 respondents, 90.85 percent saw that the assassination of the veteran resistance leader will not bring in the much-hoped and long-awaited security to the Israelis.

A minor percentage –- 9.15 percent – believed that the assassination will make Israel safer. 

Israel has been gripped by fear as the Palestinian resistance factions said it would only be a matter of time before translating their threats to avenge the assassination of Yassin into action.

The factions pledged an all-out war against Israel, saying Israeli Prime Miniter Ariel Sharon's head was high on the list.

The 67-year-old wheelchair-bound Yassin was assassinated along with eight of his companions in an Israeli missile strike on his way home after performing the dawn prayers on Monday, March 22.

The two-day poll also showed that 83.57 percent of 7511 surveyed in favor of avenging the assassination of Yassin against 16.43 percent, who opposed retaliations.

An overwhelming majority of 7519 respondents -– 85.54 against 14.46 percent -- further held the United States accountable for the Israeli raid.

Lawsuit

The poll came as the Muslim community in the U.S. is planning to file a lawsuit against the U.S. administration of George W. Bush for exporting weapons to Israel, which were used in slaying quadriplegic Yassin, London-based Arabic language Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported Wednesday.

The head of the Muslim American Society (MAS), Mahdi Berri, told the daily that the administration had violated the U.S. exportation laws after a U.S.-made Apache helicopter and Hellfire missiles had been used in the dawn raid. 

The laws ban using U.S. weapons in killing or targeting civilians.

The paper said that senior U.S. lawyers will lodge the case with an appropriate U.S. court.

Berri said the unaccountability of Israel endangers the U.S. national security, poses threats to the U.S. and undermine efforts to fight the U.S. global war on terror.

He added that such Israeli practices devalue the lives of the Palestinians.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim advocacy group in the U.S., has condemned the assassination, calling it an act of “state terrorism”.

The American Muslim rights group said “bland” statements form U.S. President George Bush administration urging “restraint by all parties” would only be viewed internationally as tacit approval of Israel’s actions and will undermine the legal basis for the war on terrorism.

The Israeli crime has also drawn outrage from the four corners of the world with the European Union (E.U.) condemning it as “very, very bad news” for the Middle East peace process.

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa blamed the assassination of Yassin on the “international immunity” enjoyed by Tel Aviv.