The Palestinians strike back

06/03/2002| IslamWeb

At least 11 die in Jerusalem attack and 2 in Netanya with more than 100 wounded in the two strikes; IDF weighing partial call-up of reserves By Ha'aretz Staff and Agencies

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, affiliated with Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, took responsibility for the Netanya attack, while Hamas claimed responsibility for the Jerusalem attack. After attacks Israel responded by destroying Yasser Arafat's Gaza headquarters.

The Netanya attack, which killed two people and wounded at least 50, took place at about 8:30 P.M. At least two Palestinians tossed grenades and sprayed gunfire on guests in the Jeremy Hotel as they were leaving after a traditional Shabbat hatan celebration, which takes place on the Sabbath before a wedding party.

The body of the second Israeli was found next to the bodies of the two dead Palestinian attackers. Police said they do not yet know whether this civilian was killed by the gunmen or by police fire directed at the attackers.

The Jerusalem attack, which killed at least 11 people and wounded at least 40, occurred some two hours later, when a young twenty year old Fouad Hurani detonated the bomb as he stood in a queue of people waiting for a table at the Moment Cafe about 100 yards from Sharon's official walled residence. Sharon was at his farm in the Negev at the time.

One of the cafe's patrons said: "There was a huge explosion, simply atomic. There was smoke everywhere and an acrid smell of gunpowder. People were screaming. I've never seen anything like it in my life."

Patrons noted that the Moment Cafe, located on Aza Street, is generally packed on Saturday nights, with many people standing in the entrance while waiting for a table inside. Nevertheless, police say, the Palestinian bomber succeeded in getting past the security guard at the entrance and reached the interior of the cafe, where he blew exploded. Hamas identified the bomber as Ismail Hawarani, of the Al-Arub refugee camp south of Bethlehem.

Blaming Arafat for the violence, Israel responded swiftly by carrying out the fiercest strike in 17 months of conflict on the Palestinian president's headquarters and security compound in densely-populated Gaza City.

Palestinian sources reported that a Fatah activist was killed when the Israeli Air Force hit his car with a missile fired from a helicopter in Ramallah. The man was Samer Awis, the brother of Abed al-Karim Awis, one of the heads of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. Palestinian sources believe that the assassination was actually aimed at Abed al-Karim, and the missile may have struck the wrong brother.

INTERNATIONAL CONCERN MOUNTS

"We strongly condemn this latest outburst of violence and urge both sides to do all they can to bring it to an immediate end," a State Department official in Washington said.
"The day's events underscore the importance of General Zinni's mission and the need for both sides to heed the president's words on Thursday," a White House official said.

In Cairo, Arab foreign ministers urged the international community to intervene to halt the Israeli attacks.