Bush 'Furious' at U.S. Deaths in Jerusalem Bombing

Reuters via Yahoo! ^ | Thu Aug 1,12:41 PM ET | By Danielle Haas

[Momaw Nadon]

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - President Bush ( news - web sites) said on Thursday he was "furious" about a Palestinian bombing that killed five Americans and two Israelis in Jerusalem but he still believed peace was possible in the Middle East.

"I'm just as angry as Israel is right now," Bush told reporters in Washington before meeting Jordan's King Abdullah. "I'm furious that innocent life was lost. However, through my fury, even though I am mad, I still believe peace is possible."

Bush's remarks followed scathing condemnation by U.S. ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer of Wednesday's attack, which he said marked "a new depth of depravity" for Palestinian militants waging a 22-month-old uprising against Israeli occupation.

Seven people were killed and more than 80 hurt when the lunchtime blast tore through a cafeteria at Hebrew University, one of the few places in Jerusalem where Arabs and Israelis still studied and lived peacefully together.

U.S. officials identified four of the dead as Janis Coulter, 36, Benjamin Blutstein, Marla Bennett and David Gritz. Gritz also had French citizenship. Israeli police identified the fifth American as Dina Carter, 37, who also had Israeli citizenship.

The two Israelis killed were identified as David Ladovsky, 29, who had recently joined the diplomatic corps, and Levina Shapira, a 53-year-old student counselor.

Hamas, an Islamic militant group dedicated to Israel's destruction, said it carried out the attack to avenge an Israeli air strike in Gaza last week that killed its military leader, his lieutenant and 13 others, including nine children.

The attack was the bloodiest in Israel since June 19 when a bomber killed seven Israelis at a Jerusalem bus stop, and was unusual because of the high toll of foreign victims.

It further dented hopes of an early breakthrough to end violence since Palestinians rose up against Israeli occupation in September 2000 after statehood talks deadlocked.

Asked if he supported Israeli military retaliation for the latest bomb attack, Bush said Israel had a right to defend itself "but I say to all parties involved, we must keep the vision of peace in mind."

ISRAELI SHOT DEAD

In new violence, an Israeli man was found bound and shot dead near Israel's border with the West Bank on Thursday.

The Israeli army accused Palestinian gunmen of shooting the man at close range at the Buds of Peace industrial zone near the West Bank city of Tulkarm after going there to make deliveries.

A senior Israeli security source said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ( news - web sites) had decided in consultations with Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer to "retaliate strongly against Hamas targets for what happened."

But the government did not say exactly how it would respond to the blast, which was condemned by the Palestinian Authority ( news - web sites) and which followed a suicide attack that wounded four people in Jerusalem on Tuesday.

In Beit Jala near Bethlehem in the West Bank, witnesses said Israeli forces blew up the home of Hazim Saras, who carried out that bombing.

It was not clear whether Israeli pledges to ease the hardship of 700,000 Palestinians living under Israeli military curfew in the West Bank since mid-June would be affected.

Laying a wreath at Hebrew University a day after the blast, U.S. Ambassador Kurtzer demanded immediate action by the Palestinians and Arab states to end the violence.

"The terrorist murderers, those who sent them and those whose action and inaction contributed to this despicable act, have descended to a new depth of depravity," Kurtzer, a former student at the university, said.

CONDEMNATION BY "QUARTET"

Washington's partners in the 'Quartet' leading efforts to revive peacemaking -- Russia, the United Nations ( news - web sites) and the European Union ( news - web sites) -- also condemned the bombing.

"Terror has brought death and suffering in...a lively center of culture, of communication and of learning where students of different nationalities and ethnic origin work closely and harmoniously together, including of course Israelis and Palestinians," EU Commissioner Michel Barnier said.

At least 1,473 Palestinians and 574 Israelis have been killed in the violence, including a 63-year-old Gaza man who medical officials said died on Thursday of earlier wounds.

Suicide bombings have continued despite a six-week Israeli offensive in the West Bank launched in late March.

A U.N. report on Israel's assault on the Jenin Palestinian refugee camp during the offensive criticized all sides, saying Israel endangered civilians by using heavy weapons in heavily populated areas while 200 Palestinian fighters used the camp as a base.

The report by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan ( news - web sites) avoided the word "massacre" and dismissed Arab claims that 500 Palestinians died in Jenin during Israel's "Operation Defensive Shield."

It said there were cases when Israeli forces did not respect the neutrality of medical and humanitarian workers, and that 52 Palestinians and 23 Israeli soldiers died in Jenin over 10 days.

[caddie]

Are you defending Bush's fecklessness?

Are you going to justify his inane, "I am furious about all these terrorist acts by the Pals but, since I am a wimp, I believe I will duck this fight one more time by saying the nostrum, 'peace is possible.'"

Where is the self-respect of you Bush-bots?

You are as crazy as the Rat Kool-Aid drinkers, who were defending Clinton as he was being impeached.

When are you going to come to grips with the fact that W is a loser?

[Linda Liberty]

Bush's remarks followed scathing condemnation by U.S. ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer of Wednesday's attack, which he said marked "a new depth of depravity"

I guess he feels its more depraved to kill Americans than Israeli children? How can anything be more depraved than walking into a Bas Mitzvah (a girl's 13th birthday party as well as a religious observance) and shooting as many people as possible?

[ppaul]

Gee, I wonder what they do with the hundreds of millions of dollars we send them annually?

You mean the $500 million per year US taxpayer dollars to the Palestinian "Authority"?
Oh, that's only for "humanitarian" aid.

[rmlew]

US troops in Israel is NOT the solution.
Perhaps you forgot what happened to US Marines in Lebanon?
Our troops would be targets of terrorism, and this would force the US to call on Israel to make concessions for the safety of American troops.

[MinorityRepublican]

Where is the damn outrage?

[Psalm 73]

"However, through my fury, even though I am mad, I still believe peace is possible"

I'm a HUGE Bush supporter, but I'm getting a little tired of his restraint talk - unless it's cover for the imminent destruction of Iraq.
Our enemies do not understand or respect "restraint", only power, which is what we MUST show them.
If W truly is a gunslinger, let's see it.

[Mr. Mojo]

Where is the self-respect of you Bush-bots?

A self-respecting Bush-Bot is a contradiction of terms.

[rwfromkansas]

I don't belive peace is possible either, but he still needs to put a "good face" on things until it is so bad he can take the gloves off completely. Peace is possible......if the Pali's comply with Bush's demands by selecting new leadership and stop the violence.

[rwfromkansas]

I don't belive peace is possible either, but he still needs to put a "good face" on things until it is so bad he can take the gloves off completely. Peace is possible......if the Pali's comply with Bush's demands by selecting new leadership and stop the violence. We know that won't happen.

[CecilRhodesGhost]

It would be interesting to find out what percentage of Americans share your view, which is a very interesting one. As a conservative and strict follower of the American constitution, you oppose globalization and foreign alliances. But on the other hand, you support Israel, which for Americans is a very visible and high-stakes foreign alliance. And you add that you support Israel because of religious (not political) reasons (based I suppose on Old Testament prophecy).

There is a curious thing happening in the US, with the modern state of Israel finding support from a share of Americans who have a religious kinship with the biblical Israel. These same Americans consider themselves conservative and against foreign entanglements; and oppose globalization even though earlier versions of today's "globalization" helped give birth to modern Israel after WW II.

Is history or geography taught in US schools anymore? There is a curious theme today among conservative Americans to "cherry-pick" which version of globalization to approve.

[Tolik]

So folks who support Israel should remember that there was a day, not too many decades ago, when the globalists were useful to Israel.

Step back for a second, and remember how all nations used to be created. Somebody would declare their borders. Friendly neighbors would contest in a friendly war. The winner would announce the results. And so on.

What is different in the Israel - Palestine - UK - UN situation? UK tired to be a supervisor of the mandate area (which it received in the old fashioned way by defeating with allies the Ottomans). So they let UN vote on Jews' national aspirations. But Israel had to fight the war of independence in the, again, old fashioned way anyway. What changed? Nations had to fight wars before UN was created and Israel had to fight the wars after UN was created. So, what good UN did for Israel? Counting how many times 22 Arab countries with support of 56 Muslim countries (including that 22) and oil dependant customers voted Israel for dinner, .... you get the point.

[Mr. Mojo]

"And if you guys don't stop it I'll tell my Dad!"

"And my dad will say mean things, like 'read my lips, stop this bombing immediately'....and then he could order me to send the U.S. military to the region, only to stop them and order them to retreat just as they're about to achieve total victory."

[bear24]

I live in Plymouth, just west of you and work in Dearborn. Amen brother!

[SJackson]

No doubt this was a very tragic and animalistic thing these terrorist did, but most of these people identified were and are dual citizens.

I've noticed you post this several places, and it raises two questions.

First, what's the significance of the BUT. If "most" were dual citizens, it the animalistic nature of the act lessened? Were the victims somehow culpable. I don't understand the but.

Second, of the five murdered Americans, one was a dual US/French citizen. I've not seen anything, anywhere that any of the other four held any citizenship other than US. Where did you get your information?

[SJackson]

David Ladovsky, a brand-new member of the diplomatic corps, was supposed to set off on his first mission in 10 days. He was headed for Lima, Peru, where he was to serve as second secretary in the embassy.

Ladovsky, 29, had just completed a master's degree in public administration; he was at the university yesterday to turn in his final project.

Ladovsky was born in Argentina and moved to Israel 10 years ago. He completed his bachelor's degree and then his army service, and then worked for a while in the Communications Ministry. Two years ago, he joined the Foreign Ministry's diplomatic training program.

"Diego saw the Foreign Ministry as a mission," said veteran ministry official Victor Harel. "For him, this was the realization of Zionism... He had the potential to be a first-class diplomat." Ladovsky is survived by his parents and two siblings.

……………………………..

Levina Shapira, 53

Levina Shapira, 53, had worked at Hebrew University for 33 years, her most recent job was head of the university's Student Authority. Her family scoured hospitals for her all day until they finally realized she was dead.

A scion of a veteran Jerusalem family, Levina met her husband Alex, an insurance agent, while she was at high school. The couple had three children.

"Mother was the glue that held us together," said her daughter Adi tearfully. "Most of all, I remember her hugs." Levina will be buried today - a time for the funeral had not been set last night.

……………………………..

Janis Ruth Coulter, 36

Janis Coulter, a former Hebrew University student who converted to Judaism, served as deputy director of the Hebrew University's foreign students department in New York for the past three years.

She arrived in Israel just one day before the bombing to accompany a group of overseas students. She was killed while having lunch with the students in the cafeteria.

She is survived by her father and brother

……………………………..

Marla Bennet, 24

Marla Bennet, born in California, was studying Judaism in Israel and writing her final essay. Family members said that she was due to return home to San Diego on Friday.

……………………………..

David Gritz, 24

David Gritz lived in Jerusalem, and had both U.S. and French citizenships

……………………………..

Benjamin Blutstein, 24

Benjamin Blutstein from Susquehanna Township, Pennsylvania, was on a two-year study program to be a teacher of Jewish studies, officials in his hometown said.

……………………………..

Seventh victim of Hebrew University bombing is Dina Carter, 37, from Jerusalem

[rwfromkansas]

He is our CIC in a time of war. How dare you slander our leader.

Apparently, you forgot Bush's speech that the peace process means no Arafat, no violence, and changes in governmental structure.

I suppose that was rather weak......

Nevermind that it was one of the toughest speeches ever on Israel by an American President since the past administrations for decades have not taken such a hard line on peace.

[Admin Moderator]

I removed your duplicate post per your request. Thanks, AM

[Redleg Duke]

These towelheads better realize that Bush is one of those folks you really don't want to get "furious". Just ask the Taliban.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

No doubt this was a very tragic and animalistic thing these terrorist did, but most of these people identified were and are dual citizens.

So then Americans should only treat this as two and a half deaths? What is the appropriately reduced level of outrage for the death of dual citizens?