Nizar Rayyan, Hamas’ major tactician and spiritual leader, was killed in an Israeli aerial assault along with much of his family. His loss is not a great blow to Hamas, as it really takes no genius to conduct a guerrilla war in Gaza; Hamas has many other able leaders. When Israel killed Rayyan’s predecessor, Ahmed Yassin, five years ago, Hamas retaliated against Jewish community centers abroad, killing and maiming hundreds.
The one person who especially hated Rayyan is Abu Mazen, as Rayyan led the Hamas takeover of Gaza a year ago.
Retaliation aside, the death of a prominent enemy is a welcome thing. However, there is a big but. Israeli media wrongly denigrate Rayyan. We can only wish Israel had many leaders like him. Rayyan was a serious Islamic scholar, popular with his students, and a respected legal authority; his home library included more than 5,000 volumes. At the same time, Rayyan was a daring military leader who both organized and personally led the revolt against corrupt Fatah thugs in Gaza. He was honest and courageous: Rayyan had personally sent his son as a suicide bomber. When hit by Israeli bombs, he was not in hiding but staying at his house.
Nizar Rayyan compares very well to the thugs who rule Israel.
