Israel strikes back after school bus bomb outrage
Tuesday, 21 November 2000
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Israel's helicopter gunships repeatedly pounded the Gaza Strip last night as the Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, launched his biggest and most punishing attack on the Palestinians since the start of the present conflict.
Israel's helicopter gunships repeatedly pounded the Gaza Strip last night as the Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, launched his biggest and most punishing attack on the Palestinians since the start of the present conflict.
Terrified residents fled the streets of Gaza City, which wasplunged into darkness after power supplies were cut by more than 20 rockets. Israel wasretaliating for a bombing attack yesterday on a school bus carrying Jewish settler children. The bomb killed two Israeli adults - a teacher and a maintenance official - and injured at least five children.
Although Mr Arafat's Fatah faction and the Palestinian Authority denied any role in the bombing, the hour-long air raid was aimed at his power structure. It came just days after he ordered an end to attacks on Israelis from areas under his control. Since the conflict erupted, there have been regular Israeli rocket and tank attacks on Palestinian cities in answer to armed attacks on Israeli soldiers and settlers. But, although still selective, yesterday's was the most intense to date.
Israel attacked the main Fatah headquarters in Gaza City, transmitters of Palestinian satellite TV and bases of its security forces, police and presidential guard. Anticipating air strikes, and seeing several Israeli gunboats offshore, most occupants had already left.
At least 15 people, including about six children, were admitted to Gaza's Shifa Hospital but none seemed badly hurt. Doctors said most were hit by debris after shrapnel hit buildings.
Israel TV said the targets included the office of Mohammed Dahlan, head of Mr Arafat's Preventative Security Service and a former Oslo negotiator; and the Jabaliya refugee camp, south of Gaza City.
The attack came shortly after Mr Barak met his security cabinet to discuss how to react to the bus bomb, which caused outrage across Israel and ended a brief lull in hostilities. The Israel Defence Forces said it was caused by a mortar shell surrounded by pieces of metal and detonatedby three people who fled. It appeared to target children - perhaps in retaliation to the repeated killing of Palestinian children by the Israeli army. This weekend, a 14-year-old from Gaza was shot dead.
Mr Barak - whose ratings have fallen and who lacks a parliamentary majority - has been under growing domestic pressure to take an even tougher line in this conflict, in which at least 240 people have died. He opted to continue to squeeze Mr Arafat and Fatah, despite evidence that the violence comes from radical elements outside his control. Although Mr Arafat has struggled to assert his authority over the intifada in the last two months, Israel believes that the best way to end the uprising is to continue to pressure their erstwhile partner.
Israeli television said the security cabinet also approved tougher economic sanctions and a tightening of the blockade of Palestinian towns, which have been closed off for days - and, in some cases, weeks.
Fatah issued a statement saying that it was not involved in yesterday's bomb. Three obscure groups - Palestinian Hizbollah, Al-Aqsa Martyrs and Omar al-Mukthar - claimed responsibility for the bombing.
After last night's helicopter attacks, the PA repeated its calls for foreign intervention to protect Palestinians. It appealed for the international community to "immediately intervene to secure protection for our people and to stop these barbaric attacks".
