Israel in February 2001

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Please pray for the families of the eight persons killed in the terrorist attack bus crash yesterday and the 23 wounded. The fatalities are:

GILO, Jerusalem 15 Feb 2001 -- The entire unannexed territories have been closed to Palestinian traffic sealing their borders, closing the Gaza airport, and blockading Palestinian cities and towns following the terrorist bus crash yesterday at the Azor Junction near Holon which killed 7 Israeli soliders -- 4 women and 3 men -- and a civilian and injured 23 others, including three women soldiers who are listed in critical condition this morning. Even so, two roadside bombs were detonated early this morning on the Tunnel Road south of here and Palestinian gunfire on motorists traveling the main access road into Jerusalem from Hebron erupted for the third straight day. The Tunnel Road was closed again this morning.

DebkaFile reports that Israeli security leaders have concluded that it will be necessary to re-occupy parts of Beit Jala and Al Hader, the Palestinian Authority villages from which the shooting has repeatedly originated into Gilo and on the Tunnel Road. Other sources report that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is planning measures against the PA leadership, including limiting Arafat's freedom of movement, encouraging the PA to replace him, and targeting leaders of the violence.

In other violence last night and early this morning, a Kiryat Arba man was moderately injured by Palestinian gunfire while driving in the Hebron hills near Sussiya. Other incidents were reported in Gaza and near the Egyptian border. The IDF also reported heavy exchanges of gunfire between soldiers and Palestinians north of Kiryat Arba but with no report of injuries. The army was forced to close the road between Carmel and Samoa.

Since the terrorist bus crash, the IDF also has stripped all 72 senior Palestinian VIPs of their special travel permits, effectively confining them to the areas where they live. Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz condemned Hamas, which took credit for the attack carried out by a Palestinian who had been hired by the Egged bus company for the last five years as a driver transporting Arab workers to and from the Gaza Strip. The driver, who remained hospitalized this morning under heavy guard awaiting formal charges, plowed his bus into the crowded Israeli bus stop. Mofaz also targeted the blame against the Palestinian Authority for refusing to quell incitement against Israel.

The IDF also issued an official warning of more attacks urging the population to be constantly alert.

"I hope that the Palestinian Authority does what needs to be done in order for Israel to be able to allow Palestinians workers who want to work here to come back to their jobs," Mofaz said. "And if not, I presume that this closure will continue."

The Chief of General Staff said the IDF views the bus attack as "crossing the line." "This is the direct result of the encouragement of terror and violence by the Palestinian Authority," Mofaz said.

After crashing into the crowd, the bus continued southwards towards Ashdod, followed by police vans shooting and chasing after it. The driver was finally caught in Gan Yavneh, after he crashed into a truck; the truck driver jumped out safely just in time. The driver was taken to a nearby hospital, and was still unconscious at last report. Preliminary checks found that he had no prior connection with any terrorist organization or with the Fatah/Hizbullah leader killed by Israeli forces yesterday.

Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau called today upon the Israeli public "to maintain human dignity and that of the country, and not take private initiatives of vengeance, despite the fact that these are natural instincts of citizens [at this time]." Referring to the venomous anti-Israeli incitement of the Palestinian educational system, Rabbi Lau said, "These are not wild weeds - but rather entire greenhouses planted with poison and hatred." Voice of Palestinian Radio opened its news reports today with mention of the "poison gas that Israel uses against the Palestinian nation," as well as reports from the funeral of Masoud Ayad, the Fatah/Hizbullah leader killed by Israeli forces yesterday. Calls for additional and more severe acts of terrorism against Israel also were sounded at the funeral.

The intifada leadership, comprising representatives of Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and others, announced that its members would continue to carry out terrorist attacks "in response to the murder of the
Palestinian nation."

PLO Leader Yasser Arafat did not condemn the attack until confronted by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell with "strong language." Arafat initially said the attack was the direct result of increased Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.

In Ankara, Turkey where Arafat held a news conference, said he opposes all violence, but dismissed the idea that the "traffic accident" was intentional. "Whatever the cause, we are against the use of violence and of course killing people. It happened on their territory, they're investigating and that's it as far as I'm concerned," he added, as his comments were translated into English by Palestinian Authority Planning Minister Nabil Shaath.

The Israeli embassy in Ankara issued a sharp response, with spokesman Gilead Cohen saying: "We see Arafat crying crocodile tears over the violence. He says he wants peace. If he wants peace he should put the terrorists back in jail and stop attacks on innocent Israelis." He termed Arafat's reference to "a road accident" as ridiculous.

Earlier, while in Jordan, Arafat sang a different tune. Arafat said the attack was a response to Israel's military escalation against the Palestinians. "What is happening is an Israeli military escalation that has direct consequences on the feelings of the Palestinian people," he said. "If the military escalation continues and the use of internationally banned weapons, no doubt it would be a difficult position for everyone."

He also repeated his accusation that Israel used poisonous nerve gas in recent confrontations in Gaza. Israel has repeatedly denied the claim.

Arab MK Azmi Bishara, said that the attack today was the result of the "Israeli conquest." In addition, PA Secretary Ahmed Abdul Rahman said, "The Barak Government should blame itself because violence is answered with violence... the aggression of the government of Israel against the Palestinians pushes them to acts of desperation."

MK Rabbi Chaim Druckman (NRP) complained to the Knesset Ethics Committee that "MK Bishara represents the enemy in the Knesset. He enjoys all the benefits of our democracy, and takes advantage of them
to harm us."

Other Reactions: President Moshe Katzav: "Under no circumstances will we let Israeli blood run free, and the State must protect its citizens and national security under all conditions. We will never adopt the same standards as our enemy - we would never dare to open fire on a school bus of children, or to cruelly lynch two citizens, or to take a bus and purposely mow down a group of people - but we are determined to fight with all the means to protect our security.

We will not allow terrorists to walk around freely, inciting and giving orders to others to shoot and kill. The Palestinian leadership bears the full and direct responsibility for today's attack, with its incitement, its wild reactions against Israel, its lack of willingness to act to calm the situation. Arafat has not called on his people to stop the bloodshed - instead, they all hear his wild incitement, and see it as a green light to carry out more acts of this sort."

Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon said that the attack today shows that for the terrorists, there is no difference between the areas of Judea and Samaria and the rest of Israel.

Outgoing Prime Minister Barak sharply condemned the attack, and convened a meeting of his security advisors. It was reported prior to the terrorist bus crash that Barak was considering reneging on his plans to resign in order to continue in the post of Defense Minister. About today's murders, he said, "This is further proof that the terrorists look for every way to shake our determination. We are a small but strong nation, and nothing will shake our drive and our hold on this land. I tell all the terrorists: we are strong, we are fighting for our very right to establish our Jewish nation and live in this land, and we will fight for this right as much as we have to."

NRP leader Rabbi Yitzchak Levy called on the various parties to shorten the negotiating time, and to agree at once to establish a unity government.

MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) demands that Prime Minister-elect Sharon assume the Defense Minister's authorities, "in accordance with the will of the electorate." MK Sha'ul Yahalom (National Religious Party) calls on Sharon to speedily conclude the formation of the government, and to implement an "aggressive defense" policy.

Outgoing Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami has a different view. He said today that the only way we can reach an agreement with the Palestinians is with international intervention: "We must stop telling ourselves that we are the strongest nation in the Middle East, and realize that we cannot fight against the anarchy that presently exists in the Palestinian areas, on our borders. We need an agreement with very strong international enforcements."

A large crowd of angry citizens from nearby Yafo and Holon arrived at the scene of the attack shortly afterwards, demanding that effective security measures be taken against Yasser Arafat and his terrorists. The police arrested one man who, they claimed, wished to strike at Arabs working nearby.

American President Bush instructed Secretary of State Powell to ask Arafat to take immediate action to end the violence. Likud MK Moshe Arens, currently meeting with American leaders on behalf of Prime Minister-elect Sharon, reported to Sharon that Bush supports stopping the talks until the PA ceases all violence.

Meanwhile, the results of a poll asking the question: "How should the new government approach negotiations with Arafat?" were released by Arutz Sheva: Continue the negotiations with Arafat under fire 1.83% Continue negotiations only after the attacks stop 12.45% After total halt of attacks for at least 6 months 33% Never negotiate with Arafat - he's a terrorist 13.35% It's wrong to negotiate over the Land of Israel 39.37% Total Votes 3221

Sheikh Hassan Yussouf, Hamas spokesman in the West Bank, said his organization did not know who carried out the attack, "but given the operations of the Israeli forces," he said, "this sort of action should have been expected. Such attacks will continue so long as the rights of the Palestinian people are denied. We will continue with the intifada and teach the Israelis a lesson that they learned in south Lebanon," he said.

A senior Palestinian security officer predicted that violence will only get worse. He admitted that the PA was doing nothing to prevent terror and quell the violence.

The Jerusalem Post reported this morning: The driver, Khalil Mohammed Abu Ulbah, 36, from the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza, a part-time Egged bus driver for five years, transported Palestinian workers to and from the Gaza Strip daily. The father of five returned to his job two weeks ago, after five months of unemployment.

Like all Palestinian workers who receive permits, he had received security clearance from the General Security Service. Criteria include being married with children, and participating in the "constant work" project established by Coordinator of Government Activities in Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip, Maj.-Gen Ya'akov Or, that approves the entry of up to 16,000 laborers during times of emergency.

His 39-year-old brother Hussein said Abu Ulbah was affected by Israel's killing of Palestinian children. "Today's incident was a natural reaction," he told reporters. Another brother, Rami, told reporters, "The Israeli daily aggression and killings are sufficient motives for acts of violence against Israelis in self-defense."

Both denied that Abu Ulbah had links to a terror organization, despite reports that he was affiliated with Islamic Jihad. Relatives said Abu Ulbah had been distressed over financial difficulties.

The Abu Ulbah family is well known in Gaza and operates a local bus company. With the release of his identity, at first Palestinian security officials cordoned off the area outside his home to prevent reporters from speaking to relatives.

Last night Khalil Mohammed Abu Ulbah was handed over to the GSS for questioning after undergoing surgery in the Kaplan Hospital for wounds he sustained in the attack and subsequent chase.

Israeli security officials said yesterday's attack will necessitate a review by Israeli security officials of the criteria regarding the issuing of permits to Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza that want to work in Israel.

Several hundred angry Israelis gathered yesterday morning at the site of the terror attack at the Azor junction near Holon called upon Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon to prevent Arab workers from entering Israel for work.

A few meters down the road angry protesters gathered, shouting, "Death to the Arabs."

A group of men at one point decided to take revenge on Arab workers at a building site across the street. Police stopped them before they reached the building site, urging the demonstrators to leave. Neighborhood residents said only Thai workers were working in the area.

The angry crowd scuffled with police a bit, but the scene did not turn violent. "We don't want them in Israel... Why are they [the police] pushing us away? The Arabs kill us, why can't we do to them what they do to us?" a Holon man named Victor shouted in anger. Several young men accused the police of "working for the leftists."

"Under Ariel Sharon we will deal with them the way they deal with us," one man shouted. Another young man blamed Prime Minister Ehud Barak for the lack of security. "Even the Arabs don't understand why he kept making [concessions] while the Arabs are killing us," he shouted.

Several people repeated that they felt insecure, since there is no knowing when and where the terrorists will strike again. "First it was the Dizengoff shopping mall, now it's in Azur," one man said, shaking his head.

Gaby Ben-Porat, also from Azor, was one of the few at the scene who did not blame Barak's peace policy for the attack. "What can Sharon do differently, is he a magician?" she asked. Only a peace agreement will end the circle of violence, she reasoned. "The problem is that they don't want peace... We were ready to give them their state, but they also ask to return to Israel, but we can't accept that, it's the only place we have," she said.

Alise Osil, the Likud representative from the Azor Municipality, justified the angry crowd's calls for revenge, saying the attack has left them insecure and shocked.

She called upon the government to prevent all Palestinians from entering Israel for work. "Enough is enough, we let them come to work, and they kill us... We must put a border between us and them and forbid them to enter Israel, let them find work inside the Palestinian areas," she said.

Source: The report was pieced together from the morning's English newspapers including the Jerusalem Post and Ha-Aretz, and from the 7 a.m. Kol Yisrael radio report and breaking CNN TV reports in Israel.

BACK