More "Pre-Ceasefire" Terrorism: March 20, 2002
16:55 Mar-20-02, 7 Nisan 5762
The Deadly Cease-Fire Game Continues
(IsraelNN.com) Defense Minister Binyamin
Ben-Eliezer stated that despite the serious terror
attack today, a quick declaration of a cease-fire
is critical to lead to renewed negotiations between
Israel and the PA.
Following is a timeline of major terror attacks and
thwarted attacks since last Thursdayıs arrival of
US Mideast envoy General Anthony Zinni.
Despite the ongoing terrorism, Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon and Ben-Eliezer remain determined
to comply with calls for a cease-fire, even at the
expense of the security of the nation.
Thursday, 14 March
a- Three soldiers were killed and two wounded in
a morning bomb attack against a tank in Gush
Katif.
b- Seven terror attacks were thwarted by
security forces according to Army Chief of Staff
Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz.
Sunday, 17 March
a- One person was killed and 11 wounded in a
Kfar Saba shooting attack.
b- Nine persons were lightly wounded in a bomb
attack against a passenger bus in Jerusalemıs
French Hill neighborhood.
Tuesday, 19 March
a- An army officer was killed and three soldiers
wounded in an attack against a Jordan Valley
base.
b- Two border policemen were lightly wounded
by terrorist gunfire in an attack near Moshav
Aviezer near Beit Shemesh.
Wednesday, 20 March
a- Seven persons were murdered in a suicide
bombing attack against a bus in the Iıron Valley.
29 were injured.
The list does not include the many shooting attack
with injuries, as well as attacks with Kassam
rockets, mortar shells, bombs, and grenades.
=======
Reactions
This morning's Nachal I'ron bus slaughter,
precisely as Israel is making concessions to
achieve a ceasefire and while mediator Gen. Zinni
continues his efforts towards this goal, infuriated
Israeli politicians on both right and left. "As long
as Arafat heads the PA, there is no real chance
for a ceasefire," one of the latter was quoted on
Ynet. Opposition leader MK Yossi Sarid
(Meretz) said, "I am doubtful if a ceasefire is at all
possible Nothing can justify this filthy
terrorism There must be international
observers..." MK Yossi Katz (Labor): "A
ceasefire while terrorism continues to run rampant
is not a serious solution."
On the right side of the spectrum, Herut MK
Michael Kleiner said, "The fact that the terrorism
continues while Sharon makes concessions
proves that the Palestinians want to kill more than
they want a state... The government, and mainly
Shimon Peres, prefer public relations over Jewish
lives" MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union) said,
"As long as the government continues to be
dragged along by Shimon Peres and the Oslo
bunch, Israeli citizens will continue to be
murdered. We must dismantle the PA, expel the
army of terrorists to Tunis, and return the IDF to
Yesha."
Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau said, "Our war of
independence is still going on. The enemy remains
within us, and does not differentiate between
Netzarim and Hadera, between Psagot and
Afula." The Council of Jewish Communities in
Judea, Samaria, and Gaza responded to the latest
murders with a demand for the expulsion of
Arafat: "As long as Arafat is not expelled from
here, the terrorism will also remain here."
======
Same day:
Seven Dead in Bus Attack
The number of dead in the I'ron Valley (Wadi
Ara) suicide-bomber attack this morning has
climbed to seven. The murderer exploded himself
on a passenger bus traveling from Tel Aviv to
Nazareth at about 7 AM this morning. The bus
blew up on the critical Hadera-Afula highway
near the Musmous Junction. The driver, who was
only lightly wounded, related that the killer got on
at the Um el-Fahm stop, walked towards the
back of the bus, and detonated his powerful
explosive seconds later. The 20-plus wounded
were transported to HaEmek Hospital in Afula
and Hillel Yafeh Hospital in Hadera. Some ten
victims are reported in serious condition.
One passenger said, "I travel on this bus
frequently, but since many members of the other
sector [Arabs] travel on it too, including children,
I just never thought that they would get to the
point where they blow themselves up as well"
The murderer was a 20-year-old Islamic Jihad
member from Jenin.
=======
More "Pre-Ceasefire" Terrorism
Yet another area entered the list of first-time
terrorist targets last night. Residents of Moshav
Aviezer, south of Beit Shemesh, were instructed
to stay in their homes for three hours while
security forces pursued terrorists in the vicinity.
The drama shortly after midnight with the
successful killing of the terrorists, who managed
beforehand to lightly wound two Border Guard
policemen patrolling the area. An Israeli-Arab
motorist was moderately wounded north of
Tapuach in the Shomron today; the terrorists who
shot at him most likely mistook him for a Jewish
motorist since his vehicle has yellow Israeli license
plates.
Other "pre-ceasefire" attacks today included:
Gunfire at soldiers near the PA airport in
Dahaniye, Gaza... A firebombing of a Border
Guard patrol near the Orient House in eastern
Jerusalem... Gunfire at an army position near a
Jewish community in Gaza... A large bomb
exploded along the Israeli-Egyptian border this
morning, near an IDF force; no one was hurt in
these incidents.
The Jerusalem District Court sentenced an
eastern Jerusalem resident to 25 years in prison
for his involvement in terrorist attacks in Givat
Ze'ev and central Jerusalem last July and
September. It was also announced today that
Jerusalem police had arrested the Arab who
transported the suicide terrorist to his deadly Beit
Yisrael attack in Jerusalem (11 dead), and two
others who drove the killers to their Tel Aviv
attack (3 dead) on March 5.
|