Two of the three soldiers who were killed last night when their tank was attacked with a very powerful bomb were buried today. Sgt. Moshe Peled, 20, from Rehovot, and Sgt. Asher Zaguri, 21, of Shlomi, were laid to rest in their respective hometowns. Interior Minister Eli Yeshai, a cousin of Moshe Peled\'s mother, took part in his funeral. The burial of Sgt. Ron Lavi, 20, of Katzrin in the Golan, has not yet been set. The fourth soldier in the tank was lightly wounded.
The grave incident began when terrorists ambushed a passenger bus between Netzarim and Karni in the northern Gaza Strip. No one on the bus was wounded, but when a tank made its way to the scene, a powerful bomb containing at least 100 kilograms (220 lbs) of explosives was detonated against it. Not only the immediate tragic results, but also the ramifications for the future are a source of great consternation in the army. Army officials are concerned about the well-planned nature of the attack, as well as its Lebanon-style guerilla-warfare characteristics. The chief source of concern, however, is the fact that the Arabs were able to destroy the tank that is considered the best-protected, and one of the most advanced, in the world.
The Merkavah-3, developed and made in Israel, is equipped with missile sensors, the ability to \"lock\" the cannon onto a target even while the tank is in motion, and other advanced electronic systems. Its protective features include its low profile, the placement of the engine in front, and mainly the high-quality armor over most of its body. However, the bottom is less protected, and the powerful bomb was detonated from underneath by remote control precisely when the tank drove over it.
The grave incident began when terrorists ambushed a passenger bus between Netzarim and Karni in the northern Gaza Strip. No one on the bus was wounded, but when a tank made its way to the scene, a powerful bomb containing at least 100 kilograms (220 lbs) of explosives was detonated against it. Not only the immediate tragic results, but also the ramifications for the future are a source of great consternation in the army. Army officials are concerned about the well-planned nature of the attack, as well as its Lebanon-style guerilla-warfare characteristics. The chief source of concern, however, is the fact that the Arabs were able to destroy the tank that is considered the best-protected, and one of the most advanced, in the world.
The Merkavah-3, developed and made in Israel, is equipped with missile sensors, the ability to \"lock\" the cannon onto a target even while the tank is in motion, and other advanced electronic systems. Its protective features include its low profile, the placement of the engine in front, and mainly the high-quality armor over most of its body. However, the bottom is less protected, and the powerful bomb was detonated from underneath by remote control precisely when the tank drove over it.