Eli Sechbach, Arutz-7\'s Los Angeles correspondent, says that popular American support and understanding for Israel is on the rise. \"I work as a producer for a television station, and the people who usually argue with me about Israel and Yesha and the like have come up to me in the last few days and said, \'You know, you guys have been right all these years. Arafat is nothing more than a terrorist gang leader, and Israel should smash him…\' These are people who were supporters of the Palestinians up until these recent attacks. Not only that, but I was at a Los Angeles Lakers [basketball] game last night, and Shaquille O\'Neal, the best player in the world, comes up to me and says he has something very important to tell me. While I\'m wondering what Shaquille O\'Neal could possibly have to tell me, he says, \'Please write in your newspaper that I convey to all the wounded in the attack in Jerusalem my wishes for a speedy recovery, and my condolences to the families who lost their sons.\'
\"The Americans were very moved by the attacks, and especially the car bomb that exploded when the rescue workers arrived on the scene - it reminds them of the World Trade Center attack, and it has hit a sore nerve, and they greatly identify with us. It is too bad that the price for this unprecedented pro-Israel feeling had to be the murder of 26 people in one day, but that\'s the situation. It seems that some Knesset Members are the only people in the world who are not advising us to do what we have to do against Arafat…
\"It\'s a new ballgame here. They keep bringing up this idea that Ehud Barak offered the Palestinians 98% of Judea and Samaria, but that Arafat rejected it. For the first time, it seems, you see the interviewers asking the Palestinian representatives very tough questions, such as, \'You could have fought against terrorism for the last four years, and now you say you need four more days?!\' There is a program called the O\'Reilly Factor, and the show host really gave the Arab a tough time yesterday. In short, the situation has changed.\"
\"The Americans were very moved by the attacks, and especially the car bomb that exploded when the rescue workers arrived on the scene - it reminds them of the World Trade Center attack, and it has hit a sore nerve, and they greatly identify with us. It is too bad that the price for this unprecedented pro-Israel feeling had to be the murder of 26 people in one day, but that\'s the situation. It seems that some Knesset Members are the only people in the world who are not advising us to do what we have to do against Arafat…
\"It\'s a new ballgame here. They keep bringing up this idea that Ehud Barak offered the Palestinians 98% of Judea and Samaria, but that Arafat rejected it. For the first time, it seems, you see the interviewers asking the Palestinian representatives very tough questions, such as, \'You could have fought against terrorism for the last four years, and now you say you need four more days?!\' There is a program called the O\'Reilly Factor, and the show host really gave the Arab a tough time yesterday. In short, the situation has changed.\"