Early this morning, Sal’it Sheetreet and her husband Barak, of Kibbutz Sdei Eliyahu, were attacked by Arab terrorist gunfire while traveling on the main northern Jordan Valley highway. Sal’it, 28 years of age, was killed almost instantly by gunfire to her head and was buried in the Sdei Eliyahu cemetery. Barak, the driver, was lightly injured by ricocheted fragments. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the murder.
The terrorists overtook the Sheetreets\' vehicle as it passed the Arab village of Bardla at approximately 6:30 AM, and opened fire. The attack took place only a few hundred meters from an IDF checkpoint, but the soldiers manning the post heard nothing. After being alerted by passing Arab residents to what occurred, the IDF and security services attempted to track the attackers, who apparently fled into Palestinian Authority-controlled territories. The Sheetreets were on their way to distribute sweets to soldiers from their kibbutz serving in the area before continuing on to Jerusalem.
Minister of Tourism Rehavam Ze’evi expressed surprise that there were any Palestinian vehicles on the Jordan Valley highway, as his proposal to forbid such travel on the road was approved by the government after the last terrorist attack there. Area residents said that they had not noted any reduction in Arab traffic on the route and that, “judging by the fatal results,” the orders are not being sufficiently enforced.
Reacting to the attack, Ra’anan Gissin, the Prime Minister’s media advisor, said that Israel sees PLO leader Yasser Arafat as responsible for the murder. The attack, he said, re-sets the 48-hour \"quiet\" period that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he would insist upon before a meeting between Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Arafat. Gissin said this, of course, before it was announced that the 48 hours had become 36 hours and that Peres and Arafat are scheduled to meet tomorrow night.
The terrorists overtook the Sheetreets\' vehicle as it passed the Arab village of Bardla at approximately 6:30 AM, and opened fire. The attack took place only a few hundred meters from an IDF checkpoint, but the soldiers manning the post heard nothing. After being alerted by passing Arab residents to what occurred, the IDF and security services attempted to track the attackers, who apparently fled into Palestinian Authority-controlled territories. The Sheetreets were on their way to distribute sweets to soldiers from their kibbutz serving in the area before continuing on to Jerusalem.
Minister of Tourism Rehavam Ze’evi expressed surprise that there were any Palestinian vehicles on the Jordan Valley highway, as his proposal to forbid such travel on the road was approved by the government after the last terrorist attack there. Area residents said that they had not noted any reduction in Arab traffic on the route and that, “judging by the fatal results,” the orders are not being sufficiently enforced.
Reacting to the attack, Ra’anan Gissin, the Prime Minister’s media advisor, said that Israel sees PLO leader Yasser Arafat as responsible for the murder. The attack, he said, re-sets the 48-hour \"quiet\" period that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he would insist upon before a meeting between Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Arafat. Gissin said this, of course, before it was announced that the 48 hours had become 36 hours and that Peres and Arafat are scheduled to meet tomorrow night.