Posted on 05/27/2002 12:28:36 PM PDT by kattracks
PETACH TIKVAH, Israel, May 27, 2002 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- A suicide bomber blew himself up Monday at an outdoor mall in a city next to Tel Aviv, killing himself and two other people and wounding about 20, police and witnesses said.
The bomber struck the city of Petach Tikvah as Israeli forces were conducting a sweep through the West Bank town of Bethlehem, one of a series of quick raids aimed at stopping suicide bomb attacks. Soldiers left the town of Qalqiliya just before the suicide bombing in Petach Tikvah, a city just east of Tel Aviv.
Police and hospital officials said two people, a woman and a two-year-old girl, were killed. Among the wounded were several babies. Police commander Aharon Franco said a body at the scene was "apparently the suicide bomber."
A baby carriage, its blue fabric stained by blood lay on its side in the midst of the rubble. An eyewitness who gave his name as Haim told Israel Radio that the attacker struck "children and babies who were sitting with their parents at the cafe near the supermarket."
The Lebanese TV station Al-Manar, representing the Hezbollah guerrillas, broadcast a claim of responsibility from the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, affiliated with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement.
David Baker, an official in the Israeli Prime Minister's office, said, "Palestinian terror continues to strike out at Israeli woman and children." He said Israel would use "all the resources at its disposal" to stop terror attacks.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said, "We have to do whatever possible to beat these things, by military means and also by political means."
Earlier, police in Jerusalem defused a bomb discovered by a gardener outside an apartment building. The explosives had been hidden in a plastic bag.
Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said that despite continued warnings about plans by Palestinian militants to carry out suicide attacks, Israel was not on the verge of another large-scale military operation on par with the six-week "Defensive Shield" offensive which ended earlier this month.
Dozens of armored vehicles and jeeps drove into Bethlehem and surrounding towns and refugee camps before dawn Monday and imposed a curfew on tens of thousands of Palestinians in the second incursion into the area two days. The city had been under Israeli control for nearly six weeks during the previous offensive.
Israeli troops blocked access to Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, built over the grotto where Christian tradition holds that Jesus was born, to prevent another standoff at the shrine with Palestinian gunmen. During "Defensive Shield," armed Palestinians fleeing advancing Israeli troops were holed up inside the shrine for 39 days.
In the Dheisheh refugee camp, Israeli troops arrested Ahmed Mughrabi, a local leader of the Al Aqsa militia, residents said. Mughrabi is suspected by Israel of having recruiting two suicide bombers in Dheisheh, camp residents said.
In the adjacent town of Beit Sahour, troops commandeered a high-rise building and shut down a local radio station located inside, residents said.
Israeli troops also entered the outskirts of Ramallah in the West Bank, blocking off a road and searching buildings, Palestinians said. Military sources confirmed soldiers were operating in the area.
In downtown Ramallah, about 2,000 supporters of Arafat's Fatah movement demonstrated for the release of Marwan Barghouti, the Fatah leader in the West Bank who taken into Israeli custody last month. Protesters wore shirts with Barghouti's picture on it while others waved Palestinian flags and posters. A recent poll indicated that Barghouti is the most popular Palestinian leader after Arafat.
The incursions are part of a new tactic of quick raids based on intelligence gathered by Israel's security services, said army spokesman Brig. Gen. Ron Kitrey. "The large number of warnings ... is worrying and requires us to be wound up as tightly as a spring, to be alert everywhere," Kitrey told Israel Army Radio. "The method is to go to precise locations which we have earmarked."
Ben-Eliezer said that despite the warnings, the level of danger to Israel's security posed by Palestinian militants cannot be compared to what it was before "Defensive Shield." That operation was triggered by a suicide bombing in an Israeli hotel that killed 29 people at the start of the Jewish Passover holiday.
"I don't believe that we will ... go back to the territories unless the situation becomes intolerable as it was then," Ben-Eliezer said, referring to the Passover bombing. "Then we had no choice."
Jewish settlers in the West Bank, meanwhile, launched a campaign Monday to attract more Israelis to join them, prompting angry protests from Palestinians. Settlers in the Binyamin area, which is in the central West Bank, aim to bring 1,000 families, about 4,500 people, to their 32 settlements by the end of the year, said Elazar Sela, one of the organizers of the campaign.
By JAMIE TARABAY Associated Press Writer
Copyright 2002 Associated Press, All rights reserved
It would be a different story if we were hearing reports of Islamic people coming forth with information of far-flung radical groups, but that's not happening. We only hear silence or support. The silence is support. Their are a few Islamic leaders that make real good sounding speeches but that doesn't stop the death toll.
Or, we can just sit by and let them keep killing, and that's probably what we will do.
One of your buddies murdered some Jews. Feel better now?
Certainly not one of my buddies. But it is a very predictable response to your buddy Sharoniac's "peace plan". Remember that some of us have been saying that Sharoniac's tactics would lead to less security for Israel, and therefore it was a bad plan. Folks like you keep saying "drive the Palestinians into Jordan" and everthing will be alright. Well, only history will tell who is right.
I'm surprised since you expressed such outrage at the high number of Arab deaths compared to the number of Jews who were murdered.
But it is a very predictable response to your buddy Sharoniac's "peace plan".
And what was your excuse for the murders before Sharon? It must be nice to "blame the Jews" for these suicide bombers, but history began before this morning. It even began before Sharon. Pity you refuse to acknowledge that.
Remember that some of us have been saying that Sharoniac's tactics would lead to less security for Israel, and therefore it was a bad plan.
Yes, I remember. You love to shout "surrender Jews" and then blame the Jews for those who want to murder them.
Folks like you keep saying "drive the Palestinians into Jordan" and everthing will be alright. Well, only history will tell who is right.
Actually, I never said to drive the so-called "Palestinians" anywhere. I have said that denazification is the answer. As to history being right, it depends on your perspective. For example, if you were around in 1941, you might say the Nazis were right since they were doing pretty well at that point in time. Morality is another matter.
America's interests as defined by you?
This means that I don't have undying loyalty to any maniac that the Israeli's choose to make their Prime Minister e.g. Sharoniac.
I find it interesting that "America Firsters" such as yourself express their "patriotism" by accusing others of being loyal to a foreign country. Yeah, you're a shining example of an "real" American.
Only a moron such as yourself believes that Isreal is more secure under his leadership.
Name-calling is another earmark of "America Firsters". It shows how grown up they are. As to the substance of your comment, when Israel took over the Arab camps, the rate of suicide bombing dropped. They withdraw, and it increases. What do these facts do to your "security" theory?
I suggest that you have your buddies in the illegal settlements
What makes them illegal? Name the law that says they are illegal. And don't bother with the Geneva Convention. That applies to occupied territories. These territories were occupied by Jordon and Egypt illegally without so much as a murmer of protest by the world. It was only when they were liberated by Israel in a defensive war that the world began to care about the "occupation".
vote a sane person into office...one that will enter into honest and realistic negotiations with the Palestinians.
Whom do you have in mind? Peres? Barak? Been there and done that. BTW, since Sharon has proven himself to be a brilliant general, your comment about his sanity reflects only on your frustration and maturity.
The liberal/conservative dichotomy does not work well when viewing opinions on the Israeli/Palestinian situation. Would you call Pat Buchanan a liberal/communist? I think not. This is probably difficult for you to understand since it is obvious you don't engage in independent thinking.
Well, Pat did form an alliance with that African-American woman. What was her name? Wasn't she a communist? How could Pat do that?
By the way, how would you categorize the killing of a seven year old Palestinian boy the other day by the IDF...was that "good" or "evil".
Assuming nothing else, I would call it "collateral damage". You know, the kind the US did in Afghanistan? Regretable to be sure.
I would think that Barak would meet your criteria for "war criminals to lead Israel". After all isn't he the most decorated Israeli warrior. But I suppose he hasn't been responsible for killing enough Palestinians for your taste...a real wus commie type in your book I'm sure. As for Sharoniac being a "brilliant general" I doubt they've started studying his war criminal tactics at West Point. Let's see, he did a great job in Lebanon...killed a lot of civilians...helped to create Hezbollah...got a lot of U.S. marines killed trying to cover his ass...drove Arafat out (and into the West Bank!)...and destroyed Lebanon as a possible moderate Arab/Christian state with which to negotiate. With brilliant military leaders like this who needs a State Department, huh? As far as the seven year old Palestinian being "collateral damage", tell it to his parents (and his brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles, aunts, friends, etc.). You'll be hearing from them soon I'm sure. If you don't believe the settlements are illegal then you must believe that the West Bank is part of "Greater Israel" and that the New Kach party is Israel's future...pathetic.
Well, we certainly agree on one point..."denazification". As soon as the Israelis get rid of their current Nazi regime peace negotiations can begin. Your analogy is wonderful, and proves my point. You see its the Zionists who are "doing pretty well" at this point in time...killing lots of "Palis" for your amusement. Unfortunately, they don't have the high moral ground and the world knows it. History will tell, just as it told the story of Nazi Germany.
Interesting. And just what "war crimes" has he been guilty of in your world? But you're wrong. Barak was there and did a poor job. That's why he was voted out.
But I suppose he hasn't been responsible for killing enough Palestinians for your taste...a real wus commie type in your book I'm sure.
Well, he did get plenty of Jews killed through his "peace" negotiations so I'm sure you'd be pleased with him.
As for Sharoniac being a "brilliant general" I doubt they've started studying his war criminal tactics at West Point.
Wrong again, chuckles.
Let's see, he did a great job in Lebanon...killed a lot of civilians...
There are no civilians...at least that's the attitude of your Arab buddies who get their jollies as you do...by the murder of Jewish babies....oh, and celebrating the murder of over 3000 Americans last September. Let's not forget they were dancing in the streets over that.
helped to create Hezbollah...got a lot of U.S. marines killed trying to cover his ass...
My, my...is there anything you can't blame the Jews for?
drove Arafat out (and into the West Bank!)...and destroyed Lebanon as a possible moderate Arab/Christian state with which to negotiate. The only reason your hero Arafat is alive today is because of the US State Department. Moveover, if the Lebanese hadn't allowed terrorists to murder Jews, Israel would never have gone in there. And now that they've pulled out, Hezbollah continues to attack. What a shock!!! Turns out that "liberating Lebanon" wasn't what these terrorists were after, after all.
With brilliant military leaders like this who needs a State Department, huh? As far as the seven year old Palestinian being "collateral damage", tell it to his parents (and his brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles, aunts, friends, etc.). You'll be hearing from them soon I'm sure.
If I had my way, the only thing I'd be hearing from them is the sounds of peace and prosperity. But you'd hate that.
If you don't believe the settlements are illegal then you must believe that the West Bank is part of "Greater Israel" and that the New Kach party is Israel's future...pathetic.
I noticed that you failed to answer my question. Given your rabid ignorance of history, current events, and the truth, that's unsurprising. Next time you make a statement it would be nice to see you back it up with facts instead of Arab propaganda, but that would be too much for you.
Israel had other regimes and peace negotiations led to the murder of innocent Jews...which is your goal and which was the goal of the Nazis. So despite your twising of Nazi ideology, we can see it is really you who share their dreams.
Your analogy is wonderful, and proves my point. You see its the Zionists who are "doing pretty well" at this point in time...killing lots of "Palis" for your amusement.
There were just three Orthodox Jewish boys murdered by your Arab buddies. I don't call that "doing well", but I have no doubt you do.
Unfortunately, they don't have the high moral ground and the world knows it.
Israel has had the "high moral ground" according to the world only when Jews were being blown to bits. A high price to pay to have the world think well of us.
History will tell, just as it told the story of Nazi Germany.
Despite the attempts to destroy the Jewish people throughout history, we are still here while our persecutors have disappeared. A word to the wise.......
ah c'mon Ben...lighten up, everything's gonna be alright. And we all know you're gonna read my response...hell you posted three times to me this morning without a response. You know you miss me when I'm gone. It's in those quite moments that you have to try to justify to yourself Israel's colonization and brutalization of the Palestinians. Deep down inside you know its wrong, but its so much easier to justify when your jousting with someone else here on FR. Now go have some quite time and don't overdo the medication!
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