Terrorism Visits Israel, Again - 10 Dead
By
Joel Leyden Jerusalem----April 18.....Ten people were murdered and over 70 wounded today when an Islam terrorist blew himself up in Israel at Tel Aviv's old Central Bus Station. The
terror attack came at a time when most of Israel was on vacation - celebrating
the holiday of Passover. Like most in Israel, I received a telephone call. "Where are you," a friend asked. I thought they wanted to join up for some relaxation in the park. "There was a suicide attack in Tel Aviv," my friend said. "How many dead," I responded. "Don't know, it just happened," was their response. This telephone call was typical of hundreds of thousands at that hour. Tracking down a relative or friend to make sure that they were still alive. Not among the injured. Out of harm's way. A Palestine suicide bomber blew himself up in a dense crowd near the entrance to a fast food stand, murdering ten people and wounding over 70. This was the most barbaric attack Israel has suffered in two years. Thirty-six of the victims remained hospitalized at Ichilov, Sheba and Wolfson Hospitals and at the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva. The wounded included two children, an unidentified 60-year-old woman, and a 16-year-old American tourist who was listed in critical condition. Nine victims were listed in serious condition, 16 moderate and the rest in light condition. "I saw people fly up in the air," said Chaya, a local vendor. "I also witnessed the previous attack, but this one was far stronger." Police stated that the combination of a large explosive device, estimated to weigh at least 10 kilograms, and a packed street caused the serious damage and the large number of dead and wounded. The only lucky element involved was the fact that the restaurant had a security guard who had prevented the terrorist from entering the restaurant. A 21-year-old West Bank member of Islamic Jihad (holy war) took responsibility for the bombing. Hamas, another terror Palestinian group that now has control of the Palestinian government, has been abiding by a cease-fire signed a year ago, but at the same time it says it will do nothing to halt attacks by terrorists against Israel.
Hamas officials told the international media that the bombing was a legitimate act against what they described as Israeli aggression. And they said Palestinians have the right to resist the Israeli occupation. Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert suggested a powerful Israel response after speaking with Israel Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, "We will know how to respond, and will continue to act with all the means at our disposal to prevent further terror attempts," he said. On Tuesday, Mofaz will meet again with Olmert to formulate an Israeli response to the attack. "Don't expect to see tanks rolling into Nablus," one official said. "But we will launch more widespread operations against the Islamic Jihad." The Israel terror bombing tore through the Rosh Ha'ir shwarma stand on Rehov Salome in the southern Tel Aviv neighborhood of Neveh Sha'anan, not far from the old Tel Aviv central bus station. The same restaurant was hit in a similar suicide attack three months ago, injuring 20 people. Four of the victims were identified as women, and five as men. The names of four victims have been released: Philip Balahsan, 45, from Ashdod, a father of two wounded children in the hospital; Victor Erez, 60, from Givatayim; Binyamin Hafuta, 47, from Lod, and Ariel Darhi of Bat Yam. Reports indicated that one of the unidentified victims was a worker from Romania. Most of Israel responded with disbelief, thinking that suicide bombings had really become history. But for those in the Israel security forces and those of us who eat and drink news, we knew it was only a matter of time until one terrorist got through extensive net of Israel Defense Forces security checkpoints. Soldiers grab terrorists almost on a daily basis at these checkpoints smuggling weapons or explosives through baby carriages and Red Cross ambulances. Having the terror group Hamas leading the Palestinian Authority and refusing to recognize Israel's right to exist only made it a matter of hours till disaster struck. A collision course has been and is now awaiting to be had. Israel has never retreated in the face of terrorism. Palestinians have and that can be witnessed by the dramatically reduced incidents of terror attacks on Israel. They have learned that Israelis will not fly away in fear to Europe or North America. They have learned that their terror war on Israel has done them far greater damage with both the US and EU halting all economic aid and the poverty rate among Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza continues to rise.
The average Palestinian voted for Hamas, not as a vote against Israel but rather against rampant corruption in the Yasser Arafat ruling Fatah party. The average Palestinian does not want war against Israel. Rather they seek peace as Israel does. The only distinction though between the Israeli and Palestinian who wishes for peace is that Israelis arrest Jewish terrorists where Arab Islam Palestinians honor those who create terror. Worse, there is a built in destructive element within Islam culture that states that no matter how wrong your brother is, never criticize him. This leads to silence and inaction - inaction that the entire global Arab community is paying the price for since the 9/11 terror attacks in New York and Washington - not to mention the blood which has been shed by Arab Islam terrorists in Bali, Spain, London, Turkey and France. Israel's
ambassador to the United Nations called actions by Iran, Syria and Palestinian
leaders "declarations of war." "These recent statements are clear declarations of war, and I urge each and every one of you to listen carefully and take them at face value." He said Iran and Syria harboured and financed Hamas and Lebanon's Hizbollah group, citing comments from Hamas leaders based in Syria, Ismail Haniya, the Palestinian Authority's prime minister, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has called for Israel to be wiped off the map. "Those words speak for themselves and do not need any interpretation. They are clear and represent the stated goal of this axis of terror, which to our dreadfulness, was again executed this morning in Tel Aviv," Gillerman said. US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack issued a statement condemning the "heinous terrorist bombing" and said, "The burden of responsibility for preventing terrorist attacks rests with the Palestinian Authority." For the average Israeli, we went about our daily lives following this terror attack. The fact that I am now posting this story several hours after it took place illustrates this point. I and many other parents were not going to allow Hamas and Iran to interfere with our children's holiday smiles. We trust that Israel's many venture capitalists and investors in the US, Europe and Asia will follow our practical lead here. For if investments in Israel are affected by today's terror attack, if fewer tourists come to Israel, then and only then will terrorism win. Do less people travel to New York since 9/11? No way, we in Israel trust that the world public will not discriminate between how terror attacks in New York, London and Tel Aviv, Israel are perceived. Lastly, there is no cycle of violence in Israel. We unilaterally left Gaza seeking peace and the response by the Palestinian people has been more rockets coming out of Gaza to Israel and today's terror attack in Tel Aviv. The Palestinian people are now in the same boat as the Japanese were towards the end of World War II. Israel must now inflict such harm and suffering so that the Palestinians see the futility of their actions. But then again, those in Japan did not believe that 72 virgins were waiting for them. Islamic terrorists celebrate death unlike our democracies in the West which cherish life. As bin-Laden once stated: "We love death. The U.S. loves life. That is the big difference between us." The
MDA, Israel's equilvant to the Red Cross, has been suffering from a blood shortage
due to people being on vacation during the Passover holiday and has asked the
public to , especially type O.
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