Jihad chiefs avoid rally after Israel death threat

Islamic Jihad activists marched on Friday, vowing not to be cowed by Israeli death threats, but group leaders wary of assassination by airborne missiles avoided the rally.

Israel said on Wednesday it had resumed a "targeted killing" policy against leaders of Islamic Jihad, underlining how far a ceasefire with the Palestinians has frayed since a February summit that revived hopes of Middle East peace.

Islamic Jihad chose Beit Lahiya for its usual Friday rally. Around 1,000 faithful turned up to condemn Israel's decision and pledge retaliation. "Blood for blood and a shelling for a shelling!" they chanted.

But faction chiefs and masked gunmen who normally join such rallies were absent this time. Even the group's main spokesman Khaled al-Batsh remained in a car some distance from the rally.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050624/wl_nm/mideast_jihad_dc

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