6A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 15, 2001 NATION/VORLD Palestinian bus driver cas es into Isnelis; 8 die' The Wishington Post AZUR. Israel A Palestinian bus driver steered into a throng of young Israeli soldiers and civilians at a crowded bus stop near Tl Aviv yes- terday morning, killing eight of them, injuring nearly 20 and transforming rush hour into a tableau of carnage. Leaving the bodies of his victims strewn over the sidewalk and roadside, the driver sped south, leading Israeli police on a wild 15-mile chase until he was shot, crashed into a truck and captured north of the Gaza Strip, where he lived. The hit-and-run attack in the heart of Israel was the most lethal terrorist act here since 1997 and the deadliest single event in the past 4 1/2 months of violence. It reinforced a growing sense that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, having already taken nearly 400 lives since the end of September, is on the verge of escalating even further. "Today every Palestinian is like a Scud missile," said David Bar Maoz, 33, an Israeli who joined an angry crowd protesting at the scene of the inci- dent. "Ile gets up, puts on his clothes and mows people dosn., The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, at first blamed Israel, which assassinated an alleged Palestinian terrorist in Gaza on Tuesday, fior fuel- ing a cycle of violence and revenge. "What is hap- pening is an Israeli military escalation that has direct consequences on the feelings of the Pales- tinian people," Arafat told reporters while visiting the Jordanian capital of Amman. Later in the day, speaking at a news conference in the Turkish capital of Ankara, Arafat said that according to information he had received so far, he believed the episode was an accident, Reuters reported. "Whatever the cause, we are against the use of violence and of course killing people," he said. Prime Minister Lhud Barak ordered a.tightening of the blockade on Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank and Gaza, including a closure of border crossings from Jordan and Egypt -mea- sures likely to inflict further damage on the already crippled Palestinian economy. I c also barred even Palestinian officials holding Israeli-issued ' passes from entering Israel. And he instructed police to be on the lookout for all Palestinians in Israel, of whom there are thousands at any time. "This is further proof that terrorism will seek by any mean to undermine our ability to endure,' Barak said. "We are fighting for our right to mainlt tain Jewish sovereignty and to live in this country, and we shall do whatever necessary to fight For this right." A sharp escalation in clashes, begun shortly before the Israeli elections last ieck, coittinued through the day and evening. At Least three Palestinian groups, including the militant Islamic Resistance Movement, or HaItas, claimed credit for yesterday morning's bus attack, saying it was-carried out to avenge the death of Massoud Ayyad, the high-ranking Palestinian security official killed Tuesday by Israeli Apache helicopters firing anti-tank missiles. Barak, who rernains in charge until prime riinis- ter-elect Ariel Sharon can form a government, \,owed to punish those responsible. But relatives of the driver, 35-year-old Khalil Abu Olbeh, said he has no ties any militant group, nor is he religious. And Israeli officials said Abu Olbeh, a married father of five who was one of scores of Palestinian drivers licensed to ferry Palestinian day workers in and out of Israel, had held a clearance to enter Israel for five years. ie clearance was reneved two weeks ago by the Israeli General Security Ser- vice aftcr a background check. Abu Olbeh, whose leg was amputated in surgery following the incident, was listed in moderate con- dition and wtas under heavy guard at an Israeli hos- pital. According to Israeli officials, he left the (iaza Strip early yesterday morning on a daily run with a busload of Palestinians - construction workers, housepainters and handymen - dropped oft' his passengers as usual just east of Tl Aviv in Raie. then headed south. A.PPHOTO Ansraeli police officer us his radio as he walks by the wreckage of a bus that crahed into a crowd of Iraeli soldiers and civilians yesterday near Tel Aviv. New School University ' Parsons School of Design Parsons offers Summer Intensive Studies in New York, Paris, Italy and Japan for high school, undergraduate and graduate students, teachers, designers and working artists. 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Democrats, Republicans join in criticism of Rich pardon WASIING ITON (AP) - Ihe Justice Depatm official reords, along with records from Clinton s prsidential in charge of pardons told a Senate committee yestiay that lirary and the Democratic National Committee in its prob White House officials did not tell himthat Marc R owis a coihe pardon. fuitire in the hours before former President Clintgrnt- Marc Rich has lived in Switzerland since just before he ed him clemencv. as indicted in New York on federal charoes in 1983 As Democratic senators joined Republicans con- including evading more than $48 million in taxes, fraud and detning Clinton's action, U.S. Pardon Attorneyoger participating in illegal oil deals with Iran. Adams testified that the White House counselsffice At the Senate hearing, Sen. Richard Durbin (D-1.) said told him in a midnight phone call only that thaich the Rich pardon "certainly raises the appearance of impro- and his partner, Pincus Green, had been "living oad priety. for several years." Sen. Dianne Felts Meanwhile, the chair- "I made the kcision to pardon stein (D-Calif.) sai* man of a House commit- she has "concems not tee said yesterday he was Marc Rich baed on what I thought only about the Rich told by the Justice Depart- pardon but about a meet it will be "at least was the right 'ing to do." number of" others one week" before officials granted clemency on there act on the panel's - Bill Clinton Clinton's last day in request to gant Rich's for- Formerpresident office, mer wife, Denise, immu- Adams told the nity from prosecution in exchange for her testimony to tl committee that he learned of Rich's fugitive status "from panel. the FBI" after the White House told him records checks Denise Rich contributed an estimated $450,000 to th should be done on Rich and Green. Clinton Presidential Library, more than $1.1 million to the At the time of the pardon, Rich was listed on the Justic Democratic Party and at least $109,000 to Hillary Rodham Department's Web site as one of the most wanted interna Clinton's Senate campaign. tionalfugitives. In a statement last night, the former president again Senate Republicans appeared yestereday to want to move denied any impropriety in granting the pardon. sway from the issue, particularly after President Bush said a "As I have said repeatedly, I made the decision to pardon hay earlier that "it's time to move on." Marc Rich based on what I thought was the right thing to Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) distanced himself from do," Clinton said. "Any suggestion that improper factors, rIlier remarks that lawmakers might want to look at including fund raising for the DNC or my library, had any- ying to impeach Clinton again, and no other senator thing to do with the decision are absolutely false. I look for- s picked up on Specter's call for a constitutions ward tocooperating with any appropriate inquiry." )endment to put restrictions on the president Claiming constitutional protections against self-incrimi- thority to pardon. nation, Denise Rich has refused to answer questions from While it may be advisable for us to explore the facts and the louse Government Reform Committee chaired by Rep. tcircumstances, this is ultimately a matter for the U.S. Dan Burton (R-Ind.). Dartment of Justice and the United States attorneys, not The commi tee has subpoenaed her American bank thongress," said Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Pare atone 3 Febnuy a 6 16T17 Aerican Comedy Award's E °"Best Femxe StadUp Comic" Judy Wtins-worrer's b-bdnW Wteetrn-O coach on ABCs sitcomI"COACH" 04IW1II wI$ "the Drew &rey Shov" S:comedy comkition every Wednesday nightith a h cads prize awarded. tohe ner determined by audience reontse. Q TON$? 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