Mossad abduction of Palestinian in Malaysia 'blunder': Israeli Media

• 

Israeli media commented on the failure of the Israeli Mossad in attempting to abduct a Palestinian in Malaysia.

"Israel seems to have recruited a group of amateurs to carry out a kidnapping in Malaysia, and for this reason, it is keeping silent," Israeli media said.

"If the reports are true, then this is a big blunder, and perhaps it is Mossad's biggest failure over the past years," Barak Rapid, commentator on political affairs at Wallah!, said. 

For its part, the Palestinian Ministry of Interior said that the Malaysian authorities rescued a Palestinian citizen from the Gaza Strip who was subjected to an attempted abduction in Malaysia by Mossad.

The ministry indicated that the Malaysian authorities "uncovered agents of the Mossad cell and are working to pursue them."

"Malaysia media agencies reported the arrest of local citizens recruited by Israel to abduct and interrogate a Palestinian activist from Gaza, in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and the Palestinian was freed from the locals who apparently worked as Mossad agents," the Israel Hayom newspaper said.

The Malaysian newspaper, New Straits Times, warned in a report on Tuesday that "the Mossad may strike targets again at the next opportunity available in Malaysia."

The report added that "the Israeli mission aims to eliminate certain targets," which intelligence officials described as part of a "broader Mossad operation to target and dismantle Hamas' program to send promising Palestinian scientists and engineers abroad."

"Mossad has set sight on at least 6 Palestinians living in Malaysia," and "many of these are academic members and work as engineering lecturers at local universities." the newspaper's sources said.