Jewish Terrorists Suspected In Bombing Of Arab School

Ha'aretz Daily ^

[RCW2001]

w w w . h a a r e t z d a i l y . c o m

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Jewish terrorists suspected in bombing of Arab school

A homemade bomb, apparently planted by Jewish extremists in a school in an Arab neighborhood of Jerusalem, wounded 11 people yesterday morning. The victims in the Sur Baher blast were the school's cafeteria director, who was seriously wounded, and 10 pupils who were lightly hurt by the force of the blast and shards of glass.

Shin Bet security service investigators and police were unable yesterday to establish conclusively that the bomb was planted by a Jewish underground terror group. Also under investigation is the possibility that Palestinian extremists put the bomb in the schoolyard, either to stir up Sur Baher residents, to strike at local residents who are believed to be Israeli collaborators, or to hide the explosive while a terror strike in downtown Jerusalem was in preparation.

Israeli security sources indicated yesterday that the explosion was most likely the work of a Jewish group that sought revenge for recent terror strikes, particularly Saturday night's attack in the ultra-Orthodox Beit Israel neighborhood, in Jerusalem.

A short time before the explosion, a few police correspondents received beeper messages, saying that the "Infants' Avengers" organization was responsible for the bomb. Israeli security officials have no record of such an organization.

Yesterday's explosion rattled the quiet village, which ordinarily maintains strong relations with nearby Jewish neighborhoods.

Sur Baher residents were infuriated yesterday by what they regarded as a late, inadequate response by security authorities to the emergency in the school. A few youths from the village threw stones at Border Policemen who patrolled the village yesterday after the explosion; six Border Policemen were hit by the stones. Border Policemen responded by firing tear gas.

Alert responses by the principal of the Sur Baher school for boys, Musa Fawaki, and a teacher, prevented a more devastating result yesterday. The pair detected the bomb, and cleared pupils away from the area before it exploded.

Fawaki, 51, explained that the school opened yesterday at the normal time, 7:30 A.M., and pupils gathered in its main yard. As he walked around the yard on a routine security check, one of the teachers pointed out a suspicious object - two cone-shaped metal canisters, each 60 centimeters in length, placed next to one another. The tops of the canisters were pink-colored, and resembled ice cream cones; some teachers speculated that the terrorists who planted the bombs wanted curious youngsters to come up and touch them.

"I asked the teacher [who pointed to the object] to ring the bell, and direct all the students inside the school," the principal said. "I went quickly to my office, to phone the police."

Fawaki said that he phoned the police emergency 100 number at 7:35. Police claim the call came five minutes later. Fawaki says the police operator "wasted time" by asking a number of questions about the location of the school in the village.

The bomb exploded at 7:50, sending out a huge stream of shrapnel. Police later found a large quantity of metal fragments at the site - bullet casings and one-centimeter iron pieces normally used in construction. The only person hurt by the shrapnel was Ahmed Abu-Hamad, the cafeteria director who was 30 meters away from the explosion.

Fawaki claims that Border Policemen did not arrive at the school until 8:10. Police claim that the explosion occurred at 7:55, and that Border Policemen were on the scene five minutes later.

After police and security forces confirmed that there were no additional explosives in the yard, Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert visited the school.

Olmert tried to enter the facility, but was stopped by enraged local residents. He then spoke with some journalists, and said that he would not be surprised were it to turn out that Arabs planted the bomb. "It could be that this was a provocation perpetrated by Palestinian elements ... to stir up the local population," he said.

Sur Baher was conquered from Jordan in 1967, and annexed to become part of the Jerusalem municipality. Villagers have permanent resident status in Israel.

_{By Ori Nir, Amos Harel and Jonathan Lis}

[RnMomof7]

FYI

[Alouette]

Residents Say Bomb In Arab Neighborhood Was Arab Provocation

A bomb exploded this morning in an Arab school in Tzur Baher, an Arab neighborhood just east of Ramat Rachel in southeastern Jerusalem; eight people were lightly wounded. An unknown organization calling itself "Revenge of the Babies" took credit. However, many signs indicate that the bomb was nothing more than an Arab provocation.

Asked if there was a suspicion that Arabs may have placed the bomb, City Councilwoman Roni Aloni told Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson today, "Of course it was Arabs! There is no doubt!" Aloni, who describes herself as "extreme left" in matters of civil rights and other issues - "I am in favor of evacuating settlements" - said that she is very right-wing when it comes to the unity of Jerusalem. "I happened to visit that very school yesterday," she said, "and the teachers and students were complaining that they were not being protected from Arab elements who wish to stir up trouble. It's clear that areas such as Beit Tzafafa and Tzur Baher, which are well within Jerusalem city limits, are viewed by the PA as enemies of Arafat - and the Tanzim wishes to end the peaceful co-existence that currently exists between Jews and Arabs in these areas." Local leader Zuhair Hamdan expressed similar sentiments.

A short time afterwards, the junior high school students began throwing rocks at policemen whom they accused of not protecting them from PA elements. Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert was forced to answer the claims. "The police responded quickly," Olmert said, "but the Arab neighborhoods are not a regular target of terrorist attacks, so naturally the police are not stationed in these neighborhoods as heavily as they are elsewhere." The mayor also hinted that the explosion might have been the work of Arab elements trying to provoke Jerusalem's Arab population: “Suicide is not exactly foreign to them, and they don’t exactly take extreme measures to avoid [civilian casualties]…"

Olmert expressed disgust at the question of an Israeli reporter at the scene: "I had said that the blast was still under investigation, and he said, 'How is it that whenever there is a blast in downtown Jerusalem, you immediately know that it's the work of Palestinian terrorists, yet here you have to perform all sorts of checks?' Can you imagine, an Israeli journalist, after 17 months of bombs and attacks directed against Jews almost every single day, has the nerve to ask such a question!"

[Demidog]

This can't be right. There's no such thing as a Jewish terrorist just like there's no such thing as a Black racist.

And besides, even if true, the Palestinians deserved it.

[Clara Lou]

Your sarcastic post doesn't accomplish much. Who said there are no Israeli terrorists? These Israelis have lowered themselves to the level of the Palestinians who terrorize and rejoice in terrorism. That's my belief. However, given your sarcasm, why should the Palestinians expect Israel not to give as they have received? The Palestinians started the infanticide. They started the gleeful rejoicing at the news of people dying, including those lost in the WTC (where many Islamics died).

[sinkspur]

Monkeys learn from watching each other, Demi.

And besides, even if true, the Palestinians deserved it.

They get what they dish out. Innocents suffer on both sides. Such is war.

[xm177e2]

The victims in the Sur Baher blast

There was an article about a Palestinian Israeli from Sur Baher, he was a moderate who wanted peace and hated Arafat. And this is how the extremists repay his willingness to seek peace. The Jewish super-extremists don't just want to kill Arabs, they want to make the Arabs hate the Jews. They need to be killed, painfully and publicly. Shooting them on the streets would be a good start.

[xm177e2]

Whether it was an extremist Arab or an extremist Jew who planted that bomb, their goal was the same.

[Demidog]

However, given your sarcasm, why should the Palestinians expect Israel not to give as they have received?

They have already been getting that at the brunt of the IDF responsed and we keep hearing that Israel is always in the right because it doesn't target civilians.

But you and sinkspur make the argument that my sarcasm was referring to. That certain actions will elicit a response whether or not the response itself is appropriate.

However, when I or anyone else suggests that 9/11 was also triggered by actions the US government took (even though we all agree the WTC attacks were not justified) in the middle east, we are accused of blaming the victims.

Of course Palestinian terrorism is going to illicit a response and perhaps even terrorism, but what triggered the intifada and is anyone willing to examine that without claiming that the mere discussion is anti-Semtic or inappropriate?

[RnMomof7]

My daddy always said "what goes around comes around"..The people of Israel have been taught well ...They are tired of it now and what ever happens is just retribution

[Robert_Paulson2]

actually, an arab probably did it to try and blame israel. they are not above sacrificing their own to make political gains... in fact, they are reputed for doing just that.

[Lent]

Maybe instead of a scatter-brained approach you could calm down and think about the history of Jewish extremism which has always been marginalized in Jewish society. And that of course is the difference. In Palestinian and Islamic society it is not marginalized. It is mainstream. Secondly, we look to legitimate grievances not illegitimate Pan Arab Islamic complaints which have all the characteristic of being fascistic - no Jew except a dead or dhimmi Jew. Hardly the stuff of legitimate aspiration unless you think neo-nazi ideology is legitimate.

[Jen]

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[johniegrad]

This can't be right. There's no such thing as a Jewish terrorist just like there's no such thing as a Black racist....And besides, even if true, the Palestinians deserved it.

You know, I always thought you were a pretty thoughtful poster and even found common ground with some of your thoughts. More and more, however, you show up on these threads and hang yourself up like a pinata waiting to be beaten. Increasingly, your post are simply argumentative and it seems like you are losing credibility with many people around here. At least you are more polite since you got banned. C'mon, you're a brighter guy than this. Make use of your strengths rather than exposing yourself to ridicule.

[Lent]

Likely the case an Arab Islamic did it. They are good at setting up civilian casualites like the Islamics did in Bosnia in the Feb 5, 1994 - Markale Market slaughter . It is now understood that the Islamics likely bombed the market themselves which of course had the effect of precipitating NATO bombing action against Yugoslavia as the West was already inclined against Yugoslavia. The Islamics find their civilians quite expendable for the sake of the Jihad.

[Lent]

threads and hang yourself up like a pinata waiting to be beaten.

LOL! Good metaphor and good take on the dog.

[sinkspur]

More and more, however, you show up on these threads and hang yourself up like a pinata waiting to be beaten. Increasingly, your post are simply argumentative and it seems like you are losing credibility with many people around here.

Losing?

Demi's NEVER had any credibility with some; when he's losing an argument, he starts parsing words, Clinton-style.

I agree with Demi on rare occasions, but he does seem to delight in taking the contrarian case, even if it means being anti-American.

[Free the USA]

Check the Bump List folders for articles related to the above topic(s) or for other topics of interest.

[Demidog]

You're making the case I was talking about. You have just implied that there is absolutely no such thing as a legitimate complaint when it comes to the Palestinians. Now in the early days, before Israel was recognized the some Israelis practiced terrorism as well. Were their complaints legitimate?