Michael Widlanski: ARAFAT'S ORGANIZATION PROUDLY EMBRACES WOMAN BOMBER WHO
MURDERS SIX IN JERUSALEM

Friday, April 12, 2002

An Arab woman suicide bomber murdered at least six Israeli shoppers making
pre-Sabbath purchases Friday in Jerusalem's Mahane Yehudah market place, and
Yasser Arafat's Fatah organization proudly claimed credit for the attack.

The murderous attack, which also left more than 60 wounded, shook Jerusalem
just as Secretary of State Colin Powell was concluding a round of diplomatic
contacts in the Israeli capital, and it underscored the fact that the
Palestinians were not willing to move to a ceasefire.

"We have to continue these attacks," asserted Muhammad Dahlan, the head of
the Palestinian Authority's counter-espionage forces in Gaza, and his words
were echoed by many Palestinians.

"I send my blessings to this heroic martyr," asserted Leilah Khaled, a
veteran Palestinian woman terrorist who hijacked planes during the 1970s,
during an interview on Abu Dhabi satellite television.

Palestinian officials not only did not condemn the attack but actually
applauded it.

"Sharon is sending the Israeli people to calamity," said PA cabinet minister
Hassan Asfour, warning that the Palestinians would continue fighting what he
called "Sharon's terror."

"The Occupation is the cause of all the terror and all the suffering," said
Asfour in an interview with Arab television from Ramallah, near Arafat's
headquarters.

Almost every Arab satellite television channel was flooded by Arab spokesmen
excitedly boasting about the "heroic operation" (Arabic: Amaliyya fida'iyya)
that left body parts strewn along Jaffa road near Jerusalem's largest market
area.

"In every Palestinian house there is someone who is wlling to become a
martyr and to avenge Sharon's terror," proclaimed Samir Masharwi, a leding
member of Arafat's Fatah in an interview on Al-Jazeera television.

Israeli law enforcement officials said that Arafat's Fatah Tanzeem militia
in Bethlehem has been specializing in sending young women bombers-some
masquerading as pregnant women-into Israeli cities, and one such woman was
captured with her explosives only two days ago in Tulkarem, another West
Bank town.

"From the face and head of the bomber, it is clear that this was a young
woman," said Jerusalem police chief Mickey Levi.

He and Israeli Police Commander Shlomo Aharonishky said they would try to
reinforce Israel's defense, "but we cannot turn Israel into an armed camp,"
stated Aharonishky.

Israel's Public Security Minister Uzi Landau said Israel had no choice but
to carry the fight further and deeper into Palestinian urban areas that
house terror centers.

"There is no doubt that we have to continue otherwise there is no point,"
said Landau.

"It's like a forest fire that you fight, and you cannot leave any pockets of
flame, or it will start all over again."

Asked if this would be the way that Israel would soon celebrate its
Independence day this week, Landau said "We have to fight for our
independence all over again."

When asked by an interviewer what Israel's response should be, Landau said,
"I suggest that we don't talk now, but that we act."

"If I could, I would like to bring Powell here so that he could see what we'
re up against," declared Jerusalem's mayor, Ehud Olmert.

© 2002 Michael Widlanski

Michael Widlanski is senior analyst at The Media Line and lecturer at The
Rothberg School of the Hebrew University. Fuller versions of his articles
are available at www.themedialine.org