the-newsmakers

Why Did Israel Kill Palestinian Militant Baha Abu al Ata now?

Israel’s assassination of Islamic Jihad commander Baha Abu al Ata set off another round of deadly fighting between Israel and the Palestinians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the commander a ticking bomb responsible for numerous attacks and a major obstacle to peace. But for someone Israel considered so dangerous for so long, the timing of the attack, and its subsequent, predictable flurry of violence, is questionable. Netanyahu's been locked in a spiral of electoral chaos, with his job on the line. Did targeting Islamic Jihad just make it a little easier for him to stay on as PM? Guests: Roey Gilad Charge d'affaires at the Israeli Embassy in Ankara Ali Abunimah Co-founder of The Electronic Intifada Gideon Levy Haaretz Journalist

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