Elusive Peace

Whose Children Now?

School bus terror attack spurs rethinking of response to violence.

On Saturday, a Palestinian policeman infiltrated
the Jewish settlement of Kfar Darom in Gaza, killing
the soldier and seriously wounding two others before
being shot dead by Israeli troops at the site.
The soldier killed in the attack, Staff Sgt. Baruch
Snir Flum, 21, of Tel Aviv, was among the last
Israeli troops to withdraw from Lebanon in May.
He had four months left until his army discharge.
On Sunday, Barak told his Cabinet that he did
not plan to retaliate for the attack. But Monday's
attack against civilians put new pressure on Barak to
retaliate harshly against Palestinian violence.
Following the explosion, the words "This Is What
We Get for Restraint" were spray-painted in
Hebrew on the wreckage of the school bus.
And Jewish demonstrators blocked the main
entrance to Jerusalem, demanding that the army
respond more forcefully to Palestinian violence.
Jewish settler leaders, who met with President
Moshe Katsav on Monday to discuss the security sit-
uation, said the prime minister must let the army do
what it takes "to win." Monday's developments
came just a few days after Arafat ordered Palestinian
gunmen to stop firing at Israelis from Palestinian-
ruled areas.
Arafat's call came after U.S. Middle East peace
envoy Dennis Ross met separately last week with
Arafat and Israeli leaders.

ing a visit to the Beersheva hospital where the Israelis
wounded
in the bombing attack were being treated.
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
The air and sea strikes began shortly after dusk
Monday, following a lengthy Security Cabinet
Jerusalem
meeting. The attacks were intended as a message
terror bombing against an Israeli school
to Yasser Arafat that he and his organizations are
bus in the Gaza Strip this week is forcing
being held accountable.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak
Some 40 missiles were fired at nine
to re-evaluate his response to Noga Cohen, 32, comforts
her daughter Orit, 12,
targets, including buildings used by
Palestinian violence.
who lost her right foot in
various Palestinian security agencies
Since violence erupted across the
a
bombing,
which
also
and by Palestinian Authority President
region in late September, Barak has
seriously injured her
Arafat's Fatah movement, and a
adhered to what he has described as a
brother and sister, at the
Palestinian television relay station.
policy of restraint in hopes of avoiding
Reports said at least one Palestinian
an escalation of the conflict and leaving Soroka hospital in the
southern Israeli town of
was killed and 25 others were wounded
the door open for the resumption of
Beersheva on Nov. 20.
in the strike, which also knocked out
negotiations with the Palestinians.
electricity in portions of the city. Some
Monday's attack — which claimed
additional strikes were made Tuesday
the lives of two Israeli civilians and
night
and
U.S.
officials condemned the retaliation. At
wounded nine others, including five children — has
the same time, Egypt recalled its ambassador to Israel.
raised new questions about whether the Palestinian
The Palestinian Authority, which has denied involve-
Authority really wants to resume talks.
ment in Monday's bus attack, condemned the rocket
Hours after the attack, Israeli army helicopters and
strikes, accusing Israel of "choosing the path of war."
navy ships rocketed Palestinian targets in Gaza City.
Barak said Israel would continue to strike back
against the violence, and he denied reports that the
Price Of Restraint?
hands of the army are being tied by the political ech-
Israel's response stood in marked contrast to what
elon. "We will continue to act as needed to ensure
happened over the weekend, when an Israeli soldier
that the violence stops. We are not going into a pic-
was killed.
nic, but a difficult battle," Barak told reporters dur-

NAOMI SEGAL

A

PA Denies Involvement

In addition to the renewed activities of Islamic mili-
tants — many of whom were released from
Palestinian jails during the ongoing violence —
members of Fatah have joined armed militias that
may or may not respond to calls for a cease-fire.
Although the PA denied any involvement in the
bus bombing, Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim
Sneh later said there was a clear connection linking
the attack to the Palestinian security establishment.
"This puts heavy responsibility — grave responsibili-
ty — on the Palestinian Authority," he said.
Claims of responsibility for the bombing came
from three little-known groups: Palestinian
Hezbollah, Al-Aksa Martyrs and Omar al-Mukhtar.
Israeli security officials did not rule out possible links
between the groups and the more well-known funda-
mentalist militant groups, Islamic Jihad or Hamas.
The school bus had left the settlement of Kfar
Darom early Monday. Students and teachers were en
route to an elementary school in the Gush Katif set-
tlement bloc in southern Gaza. The Israeli army said
it appeared that three assailants hid in the bushes
near the road and detonated the explosive by remote
control when the school bus approached.
The bus, which according to the army was heavily
armored and under a military escort, was badly dam-

CHILDREN on page 26

11/24

2000

25