British Newspaper: Netanyahu Wished Hit Men Well Before Al-Mabhouh Assassination

A report on the assassination in Dubai of Palestinian terrorist Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh appearing in The Sunday Times (London), claims that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu personally approved the operation as early as a month before and even wished the hit-men well in their mission. Al-Mabhouh, a Hamas operative, was wanted by Israel both for his role in the kidnapping and murder of two Israeli soldiers in 1989, and for his present role in organizing arms shipments from Iran to the Gaza Strip. The article presented details of the operation not previously released, including the specific assignments of various operatives who participated in the mission. The Sunday Times suggests that the Israelis were surprised at the efficiency of the Dubai police in solving the case and identifying those who were involved. Nevertheless, there remains a difference of opinion over whether Al-Mabhouh was strangled as the Dubai officials claim, or whether he was poisoned, as others have suggested.