Despite Minister Ben-Eliezer\'s above comments, he is largely responsible for the lack of a stronger response to the increasing terrorism. Recently elected head of the Labor Party, he faces internal opposition and must justify his decision to remain in the coalition government. He therefore boasted yesterday, several hours before the attack, that he and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres had thwarted a security-cabinet decision two days before to carry out a widespread military offensive in response to the terrorist murders of four Israelis. This morning, Ben-Eliezer called for the return of American envoy Anthony Zinni to the region. The man in charge of Israel\'s defense said that \"only U.S. pressure might get Yasser Arafat to stop the terrorism.\"
Ben-Eliezer Boasts: We Prevented Heavy Israeli Response
Despite Minister Ben-Eliezer\'s above comments, he is largely responsible for the lack of a stronger response to the increasing terrorism. Recently elected head of the Labor Party, he faces internal opposition and must justify his decision to remain in the coalition government. He therefore boasted yesterday, several hours before the attack, that he and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres had thwarted a security-cabinet decision two days before to carry out a widespread military offensive in response to the terrorist murders of four Israelis. This morning, Ben-Eliezer called for the return of American envoy Anthony Zinni to the region. The man in charge of Israel\'s defense said that \"only U.S. pressure might get Yasser Arafat to stop the terrorism.\"