Bombings Jolt Israel
Ending 6-month lull, bombers murder at least 16 people on Beersheva buses.
DINA KRAFT
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Tel Aviv
T
Some of the
Israeli victims
from Beersheva
bombings.
Photos from
Israel Ministry
of Foreign
Affairs' Web site.
hick clouds of smoke billowing
around two bombed buses in
Beersheva symbolized how the
sense of calm that had settled over Israel
this spring and summer could end in a sin-
Tamara Dibrashvilli, 70 Tekele Tiroyaient, 33
gle jolt.
At least 16 people died and nearly 100
were injured in two near-simultaneous
explosions Tuesday afternoon in the south-
ern Israeli city. Hamas claimed responsibili-
tY.
"I heard a blast and I started to run to
the site. Within seconds there was another
explosion," said Gil Yehezekel, owner of a
Terrorist Cells
Karina Malka, 23 Larisa Gomanenko, 48 Shoshana Amos, 64
business close to the location of the attack, Denise Hadad, 50
Meanwhile, there are indications that since
according to the newspaper Ha'aretz.
Israel took out the Hamas leadership, the
"When I got there, there were people
group's cells are working more secretly and
on the floor, wounded people, limbs torn
independently of one another, increasing their
off," he said. "The police and ambu-
ability to carry out attacks like the one in
"Members
of
Detroit's
Jewish
community,
especially
lances arrived in seconds."
Beersheva.
those with friends and family in Israel, are feeling both
Security officials decided Tuesday night
There is still no security fence separating
mournful and outraged over the double bus bombings
to increase military activity in the West
Israel from the West Bank near Hebron. David
in Beersheva," said Allan Gale, associate director of the
Bank city of Hebron, home of the
Newman, an expert on political geography and
Jewish Community Council of Metropolitan Detroit.
bombers. Shortly after the attack, Israeli
borders at Ben-Gurion University, said this
'As Jews in Israel and around the world prepare for the
troops raided the bombers' homes. The
might lead some to conclude that a fence in the
High Holy Days, again Palestinian terrorists have taken
bombers were from prominent Hebron
area would have prevented an attack.
away
the
joy
of
the
approaching
Jewish
New
Year.
families. Ahmed Kawasma owned an
But Newman said that to "think the fence
"There is clear irony that the bombings followed, by
aluminum products store. Nisim Jabri
Allan Gale
will hermetically seal off any fanatical terror
just a day, the visit to the region of Mahatma Gandhi's
was a construction worker. Security
bomber — that is a bit of a panacea.
grandson, there to preach non-violence among the
forces decided-to isolate Hebron and
"You have tens of thousands of people in the
Palestinians," Gale said. "Their answer? The deliberate targeting of
crack down on the terrorist infrastructure
occupied territories whose economic situation is
innocents for death or injury.
there, according to the report.
worse than in 1967, and they see this as a direct
"We pray for the families of those killed and for the wounded and their
Suicide bombers constantly try to
families. We support Israel's actions in response and in self-defense, and the result of the political situation, and blame
attack Israel, but the West Bank security
Israel," he said. "They have become more radi-
continued building of its security barrier."
fence and Israeli security forces had foiled
calized and have been taken with Hamas and
every attack in the past six months.
have less belief in the Palestinian Authority and"
will continue with full strength," and pledged to con-
But that lull was only an illusion, Israeli officials and
its president, Yasser Arafat, Newman said.
tinue with his plan for a unilateral Israeli withdrawal
analysts say. The strength of terrorist groups like
"There is joint interest by those in the Arafat camp
from the Gaza Strip and four northern West Bank set-
Hamas may have been temporarily sapped by the
of the Palestinian Authority who have a great interest
tlements by next year.
Israeli assassinations of its leaders, Sheik Ahmed Yassin
in not having a unilateral withdrawal of Gaza by
On Tuesday, Sharon presented his Likud Party's
and Abdul Aziz Rantissi; but their motivation to carry
Israel," and Hamas, Lt. Col. Yohanan Soref, former
Knesset faction with a timetable for the withdrawal
out attacks continues to grow.
head
of the army's civilian administration in Gaza, told
and
tried
to
quash
suspicions
that
his
plan
would
"The so-called lull was no lull before," said David
Israel Television.
increase terrorist attacks in Israel.
Baker, an official in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's
Gila Finkelstein, a legislator from the National
"There is no connection between" the bombings
office. "The Palestinian terrorists even during the past
Religious Party, said the disengagement plan is only
six months continued to try every opportunity to strike "and our plan for disengagement," a somber Sharon
providing Palestinians with greater motivation to carry
told reporters. "We will fight the murderousness of
at Israelis in the hearts of our cities, on our buses and
out terror attacks.
Palestinian terrorists with all our might."
in our cafes."
"Today they are beginning to count the fatalities of
Baker credits Israel's security fence and army opera-
Israel implicated Syria in the bombings in Beer-
disengagement,"
she said. "The Palestinians will use
tions for thwarting most of the recent attempts at
sheva. Syria has continued to offer logistical and finan-
everything
they
can
to prove to the entire world that
attacks.
But
others
question
how
effective
the
fence
can
cial backing to terrorist organizations operating out of
disengagement is a direct product of the deadly terror
be as long as the conflict between Israel and the
Damascus, a senior military official told Ha'aretz.
attacks, and the Gaza Strip is only the beginning." 0
Palestinians remains unresolved.
Thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip celebrated
"The fence can actually increase motivation for
the attacks, the Associated Press reported.
Updates, victim profiles: www.detroitjewishnews.com
attacks because there is motivation on two levels," said
Sharon, meanwhile, said "The fight against terror
Detroit Reaction
IN
9/ 3
2004
12
Yoram Meital, chairman of the Herzog Center
for Middle East Studies and Diplomacy at Ben-
Gurion University in Beersheva.
"One is ideological, by the militant groups
like Hamas, who do not want to live in peace
with Israel. The second is that in the past four
years especially, the effects of Israel's actions in
its war against terror often hurt not just terror-
ists but the people who simply live there.
"The bottom line is that the motivation for
attacks is one of the main things we need to pay
attention to, and the fence does not decrease
motivation," he said. "Israel is in a struggle
against Hamas and Islamic Jihad but also
against the Palestinian Authority," and its people
"have little motivation to stop terrorists."