This Week
Holding Back
Israeli officials mull response after Hadera bus bombing kills at least 14.
NAOMI SEGAL
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Analysts said Israel seemed unlikely to renew the
sort of siege imposed on Arafat's Ramallah head-
quarters following a Sept. 19 suicide bombing in
central Tel Aviv that killed six people and wounded
more than 50. That siege revived popular support
for Arafat and badly strained relations with the
United States.
Following heavy U.S. pressure and criticism,
Sharon called off the siege. Commentators then
predicted that Arafat could count on a. grace period
from strong Israeli retaliation for terror attacks, at
least until after the Iraqi crisis plays out.
The Oct. 21 attack came as Israel, urged on by
U.S. officials, was making efforts to ease hardships
on the Palestinian population and seeking ways to
blanket curfews across the West Bank in the wake
of the bus bombing. On Tuesday, the Israel Defense
Force lifted curfews in Jenin, Ramallah and Nablus,
but imposed them in Kalkilya and Tulkarm, accord-
ing to Israel Radio. There were no curfews in
Hebron and Bethlehem, the report said.
Israeli troops demolished the homes of a suicide
bomber and a suspected terrorist. In the Balata
refugee camp near Nablus, soldiers surrounded the
home of Ibrahim Naji, who blew himself up in an
attack in Tel Aviv last July that killed five people.
Residents of the two-story building were ordered to
leave. Two adjacent houses were damaged by the
blast, according to Palestinian witnesses.
In Kfar Salem near Nablus, soldiers demolished
the two-story home of Mahmoud Issa, who was
arrested by Israeli soldiers three months ago.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres blamed the
Palestinian Authority for the Hadera attack, saying
it is doing nothing to fight terrorism.
"We know it may be impossible to prevent all
acts of terror, but the least we expect is that the
Palestinians really show an effort to stop it even if
they did not organize it," Peres told
Reuters television from Luxembourg,
where he met with European Union
foreign ministers.
Public Security Minister Uzi
rp Landau, who advocates hitting hard at
E the terrorist infrastructure, said the
attack should surprise no one. He
called on Israel to step up its pressure
on all Palestinian terrorist centers.
"We have to look for all the terrorist
infrastructures in all the Palestinian
cities," Landau told Army Radio.
President Bush condemned the
bombing, calling it another reminder
of the importance of achieving peace
and halting terrorism.
Jerusalem
srael generally reacts swiftly to Palestinian
terror attacks, but as of Wednesday, it
appears to be holding off on any major
immediate response to the Oct. 21 bombing
of a bus near Hadera, in northern Israel. At least 14
people on the bus and in nearby cars were killed
and more than 45 injured. A jeep *laden with explo-
sives plowed into the No. 841 Egged bus that had
stopped to pick up passengers at Karkur junction.
Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer did his
best to quash speculation that the United States was
pressing Israel to restrain its response,
saying Oct. 22 that Israel would
respond when and how it deems right.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is under
growing pressure to prevent an escala-
tion with the Palestinians as the
United States seeks international sup-
port, including moderate Arab coun-
tries, for a possible strike against Iraq.
Israel's interior minister, Eli Yishai,
confirmed that Israel was taking U.S.
interests into account as it contem-
plates its next move.
"There are those who say that we
need to react now and immediately
with all power and all force," Yishai
told Israel Army Radio. "On the other
hand, we could cause difficulties for
the Americans. If the Americans attack
New Peace Plan
Iraq, it's in our interest as well as that
The attack came as Assistant U.S.
of the Americans."
Secretary of State William Burns was
The military wing of Islamic Jihad
Israelis carry a victim from a bus bombing near Hadera in northern Israel on Oct. 21. At holding talks in the region on ways to
claimed responsibility for the Hadera
least 14 people were killed and more than 45 'wounded as the entire bus was set a f lame. revive the diplomatic process. He was
attack, saying it was revenge for the
expected to meet with top Israeli and
killing of eight Palestinians during
Palestinian officials, but not with
clashes in the Gaza Strip last week.
Yasser Arafat.
And one member of the group said
Both Israeli and the Palestinian officials are
it now favors car bombs over the smaller explosive
advance the diplomatic process.
expressing reservations, however, about details of a
charges strapped to suicide bombers. "We found
In the days before the attack, Israel had been lift-
new U.S. peace plan that Burns is forwarding. Both
that with the cars, we could load them with explo-
ing curfews imposed over the past few months on
sides said the plan, which has the backing of the
sives and harm many people," an Islamic Jihad offi-
Palestinian population centers in the West Bank to
United Nations, Russia and the European Union, is
cial told the Associated Press.
prevent terrorists from infiltrating Israel.
too vague on important issues.
The method used in the Oct. 14 attack was simi-
Israeli police said the explosives-packed jeep appar-
In a related development, Arafat has formed a
lar to a June 5 bus bombing on the same road, in
ently came from the Jenin area, three days after Israeli
new
cabinet, a top Palestinian official told the
which a car bomb blew up beside a bus near
troops pulled out of the city and lifted its curfew.
Associated Press. It will be presented to Palestinian
Megiddo junction, killing 17 people. Islamic Jihad
Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer recently
lawmakers for approval next week, according to the
also claimed responsibility for that attack.
said that as soon as Israel eases restrictions on the
report.
Palestinian populace, terrorists exploit the situation
Palestinian sources said legislators are unlikely to
to carry out attacks.
Arafat Blamed
approve the new cabinet because it includes some
However, a military intelligence officer said that
officials from the previous cabinet who have been
Israeli officials blame the Palestinian Authority for
Israeli troops recently foiled seven suicide bombers.
accused of corruption. Arafat's previous cabinet
the bombing, but political sources say the govern-
Briefing a Knesset committee, the officer also said
resigned recently when lawmakers were about to
ment is unlikely to respond this time by isolating
three bombings were thwarted on Oct. 21.
vote no-confidence in the government. ❑
P.A. leader Yasser Arafat.
Despite expectations, Israel did not reimpose
I
10/25
2002
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