At 7:30 PM last night, an Arab wearing an IDF uniform and armed with an M-16 rifle and a grenade infiltrated the Jordan Valley agricultural community of Hamra, murdered three Jews and injured five others. The three fatalities, Miri Ochana, 45, her 11-year-old daughter Yael, and IDF First Sergeant Moshe Makonan Majus, 33, were laid to rest today.
The terrorist entered the community near the hothouses and opened fire at a security patrol killing Majus, a Jewish immigrant from Ethiopia, who was accompanied by Yitzhak Orenstein, the village\'s deputy security officer. Orenstein had left his home minutes earlier following intelligence warnings that a terrorist had left the PLO-controlled village of Tubas on his way to carry out an attack. Orenstein said, \"We received a warning at about 7:20 PM that a terrorist was in the area. We deployed the soldiers and were on alert. Suddenly, shots rang out.\"
The Arab then exploded a gas container near a home, and the residents were rescued in the midst of a gun battle. Miri Ochana and her daughter Yael were in their home when the lone terrorist knocked at the door minutes later. They opened the door to what appeared to be an IDF soldier, and the terrorist immediately took them hostage. The Arab began firing at IDF soldiers who arrived on the scene.
When the IDF anti-terrorist forces raided the house, they found the mother and daughter shot. Miri was gravely wounded and transported by military helicopter to Jerusalem\'s Hadassah Hospital, where she died a short time later. Yael was pronounced dead on the scene.
Army Central Region Commander Major-General Yitzhak Eitan has ordered an investigation into the attack. He said that even though the Arab was dressed as a soldier, the infiltration should have been prevented at the entrance gate and should not have resulted in loss of life.
Israeli leaders said that this attack once again proves that Arafat has yet to make good on his promises to combat terrorism.
Later on in retaliation, the Air Force bombed the PLO headquarters in Shechem. Arab sources report that 11 persons were wounded in the aerial assault.
The terrorist entered the community near the hothouses and opened fire at a security patrol killing Majus, a Jewish immigrant from Ethiopia, who was accompanied by Yitzhak Orenstein, the village\'s deputy security officer. Orenstein had left his home minutes earlier following intelligence warnings that a terrorist had left the PLO-controlled village of Tubas on his way to carry out an attack. Orenstein said, \"We received a warning at about 7:20 PM that a terrorist was in the area. We deployed the soldiers and were on alert. Suddenly, shots rang out.\"
The Arab then exploded a gas container near a home, and the residents were rescued in the midst of a gun battle. Miri Ochana and her daughter Yael were in their home when the lone terrorist knocked at the door minutes later. They opened the door to what appeared to be an IDF soldier, and the terrorist immediately took them hostage. The Arab began firing at IDF soldiers who arrived on the scene.
When the IDF anti-terrorist forces raided the house, they found the mother and daughter shot. Miri was gravely wounded and transported by military helicopter to Jerusalem\'s Hadassah Hospital, where she died a short time later. Yael was pronounced dead on the scene.
Army Central Region Commander Major-General Yitzhak Eitan has ordered an investigation into the attack. He said that even though the Arab was dressed as a soldier, the infiltration should have been prevented at the entrance gate and should not have resulted in loss of life.
Israeli leaders said that this attack once again proves that Arafat has yet to make good on his promises to combat terrorism.
Later on in retaliation, the Air Force bombed the PLO headquarters in Shechem. Arab sources report that 11 persons were wounded in the aerial assault.