Communications Minister Ruby Rivlin came out against the Prime Minister\'s policy today, saying that if Jews cannot live safely in Hevron, neither should Arabs be able to live safely in the Abu Sneineh. \"With all our desire not to grant Arafat the escalation he so longs for during the Arab League summit [which started today],\" said Rivlin, \"but when a playground becomes the murder site of a ten-month-old baby, diplomatic considerations must take a back seat to the need to protect our citizens\' lives.\" Minister of National Infrastructure Avigdor Lieberman said, “No political considerations can justify Israel’s lack of response.”
Other reactions:
* President Moshe Katzav: “Israel has reached her limit of restraint.”
* Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Shimon Peres: “We must return fire with fire, but we must also continue the dialogue with the Palestinians, in order to stop the fire.”
* Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert: \"Let us not fool ourselves: there are likely to be additional terrorist attacks... We must stop this wave of terror with a strong initiative...\"
* Police Commissioner Shlomo Aharonishki: “We are doing our utmost to provide a feeling of security, create a deterrence to attacks, and limit the damage caused by attacks. The two attacks today in Jerusalem were apparently most serious, but there is no doubt that the presence of police has thwarted many attacks... There are undoubtedly difficult days ahead, what with the Passover holiday that is approaching...”
* MK Benny Elon (National Union) told Arutz-7, \"It\'s clear that Sharon must react - but that is the wrong word. He must not only react, he must rather lead. He must recognize that his large victory margin of 25% [in the election] was in order that he would lead, and not give excuses for not acting. If he does not recognize this, and does not act immediately, then he is not a leader, and he will fall from power just as Barak fell.\"
The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria echoed the calls of many nationalist-camp and Yesha leaders in the statement it released today:
“Today’s attacks once again prove that Palestinian terrorism does not differentiate between Hevron and Jerusalem, or between [Shomron-community] Yitzhar and Petach Tikvah. Too much blood has already been spilled for the Sharon government not to reach the realization that the government must end its policy of restraint - a policy that is being interpreted as weakness. Abu Sneineh must be taken today, and a hermetic closure must be imposed on all of Yesha, which has become a place of refuge for terrorists.”
O.C. Central Command Maj.-Gen. Yitzchak Eitan recommended last night that the IDF bring tanks into Abu Sneineh, but Prime Minister Sharon and Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer rejected the idea.
The Jewish Community in Hevron reported this morning that Israeli security forces had begun taking preventative measures against Jews in the area. An army roadblock was erected at the Gush Etzion junction, about 25 minutes north of Hevron, and police prevented non-residents of the Hevron area from continuing southward. Another roadblock was established near Beit Hadassah in Hevron, blocking Israeli vehicles from reaching the Avraham Avinu neighborhood, two minutes away.
Other reactions:
* President Moshe Katzav: “Israel has reached her limit of restraint.”
* Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Shimon Peres: “We must return fire with fire, but we must also continue the dialogue with the Palestinians, in order to stop the fire.”
* Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert: \"Let us not fool ourselves: there are likely to be additional terrorist attacks... We must stop this wave of terror with a strong initiative...\"
* Police Commissioner Shlomo Aharonishki: “We are doing our utmost to provide a feeling of security, create a deterrence to attacks, and limit the damage caused by attacks. The two attacks today in Jerusalem were apparently most serious, but there is no doubt that the presence of police has thwarted many attacks... There are undoubtedly difficult days ahead, what with the Passover holiday that is approaching...”
* MK Benny Elon (National Union) told Arutz-7, \"It\'s clear that Sharon must react - but that is the wrong word. He must not only react, he must rather lead. He must recognize that his large victory margin of 25% [in the election] was in order that he would lead, and not give excuses for not acting. If he does not recognize this, and does not act immediately, then he is not a leader, and he will fall from power just as Barak fell.\"
The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria echoed the calls of many nationalist-camp and Yesha leaders in the statement it released today:
“Today’s attacks once again prove that Palestinian terrorism does not differentiate between Hevron and Jerusalem, or between [Shomron-community] Yitzhar and Petach Tikvah. Too much blood has already been spilled for the Sharon government not to reach the realization that the government must end its policy of restraint - a policy that is being interpreted as weakness. Abu Sneineh must be taken today, and a hermetic closure must be imposed on all of Yesha, which has become a place of refuge for terrorists.”
O.C. Central Command Maj.-Gen. Yitzchak Eitan recommended last night that the IDF bring tanks into Abu Sneineh, but Prime Minister Sharon and Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer rejected the idea.
The Jewish Community in Hevron reported this morning that Israeli security forces had begun taking preventative measures against Jews in the area. An army roadblock was erected at the Gush Etzion junction, about 25 minutes north of Hevron, and police prevented non-residents of the Hevron area from continuing southward. Another roadblock was established near Beit Hadassah in Hevron, blocking Israeli vehicles from reaching the Avraham Avinu neighborhood, two minutes away.