Views on Israel's killing of Hamas leader Yassin

Following is reaction from political figures and analysts to Israel's killing on Monday of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, spiritual leader of Hamas:

SENIOR HAMAS POLITICAL LEADER ABDEL-AZIZ AL-RANTISSI

"The battle is open and war between us and them is open. They are the killers of prophets and today they killed an Islamic symbol. It's a war on Islam...what happened was beyond the assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, they wanted to assassinate the Palestinian cause."

PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER AHMED QURIE

"This is a crazy and very dangerous act. It opens the door wide to chaos. Yassin was known for his moderation and he was controlling Hamas. Therefore this is a dangerous, cowardly act."

ISRAELI FINANCE MINISTER AND EX-PM BENJAMIN NETANYAHU

"Even if in the short term there will be a harsh response from Hamas, which is definitely possible, in the long term the effect will be to rein in Hamas and the rest of the terror organisations."

ISRAELI INTERIOR MINISTER AVRAHAM PORAZ

"Certainly those who are perpetrating terrorism, preparing a bomb which we know they are about to place somewhere have to be targeted. But Yassin was not a 'ticking bomb'."

US NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER CONDOLEEZZA RICE

"The United States did not have advance warning. And let me say that Hamas is a terrorist organisation and Sheikh Yassin has probably been involved in a lot of terrorist activity himself but the key now is for the region to stay calm."

AL-AQSA MARTYRS BRIGADES, PART OF YASSER ARAFAT'S FATAH

"War, war, war on the sons of Zion. An eye for an eye. There will be a response within hours, God willing."

YOSSIN BEILIN, LEADING ISRAELI OPPOSITION DOVE

"I think that this is very, very dangerous for us. We are talking here about opening a Pandora's box. We are now counting backwards to, God forbid, the next terror attack against us, and the question is how many Israelis, how many Jews have to be killed for this irresponsible act."

EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN MINISTERS

"The Council condemned the extra-judicial killing of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin...Not only are extra-judicial killings contrary to international law, they undermine the concept of the rule of law which is a key element in the fight against terrorism."

- REUTERS