The Gush Etzion city of Efrat, south of Jerusalem, commemorated its own \"Purim miracle\" today, when a suicide terrorist blew himself up in a crowded supermarket - wounding only one person lightly. Shomron and Yehuda District Police Chief Shachar Ayalon praised the Efrat residents, who he said \"acted quickly to kill the terrorist, evacuate people from the store, and close off the area until the security forces arrived. There is no doubt that they prevented a very big catastrophe.\" The terrorist managed to blow up one small bomb, but he was killed before he could detonate the large explosive that he wore on his body. Security forces spent several hours dismantling the bomb.
Residents said that the would-be mass-murderer was a familiar face in Efrat, and that as a construction worker, his name was on the official list of those approved for entry. He was from a village south of Bethlehem, and was not associated with any terrorist organization. His father said that he was \"proud\" of him.
Efrat\'s Chief Rabbi Shlomo Riskin later said, \"I always believed in co-existence, but to my sorrow, I have now reached the conclusion that at this point, there is no room for -coexistence, as long as there is incitement on the other side. We are at war, and we have to show them that they cannot beat us - only then can there be peace, and only then we will be able to rehabilitate the relations between us and the Palestinians.\" The Efrat town council decided today not to allow Arab workers into the town for the next several days, until \"the situation can be re-evaluated.\"
Hisdai Eliezer, Mayor of Alfei Menashe and head of the security committee of Judea and Samaria, said, \"The residents among us who have long-term relationships with Arabs, and who trust them 100%, should begin to realize that the situation has changed, and that there can be no trust.\"
Efrat residents placed pigskin atop the terrorist\'s body, in accordance with British tradition fighting suicide terrorists in India; the Moslems apparently believe that this will block their way to the \"delights of Paradise.\"
Residents said that the would-be mass-murderer was a familiar face in Efrat, and that as a construction worker, his name was on the official list of those approved for entry. He was from a village south of Bethlehem, and was not associated with any terrorist organization. His father said that he was \"proud\" of him.
Efrat\'s Chief Rabbi Shlomo Riskin later said, \"I always believed in co-existence, but to my sorrow, I have now reached the conclusion that at this point, there is no room for -coexistence, as long as there is incitement on the other side. We are at war, and we have to show them that they cannot beat us - only then can there be peace, and only then we will be able to rehabilitate the relations between us and the Palestinians.\" The Efrat town council decided today not to allow Arab workers into the town for the next several days, until \"the situation can be re-evaluated.\"
Hisdai Eliezer, Mayor of Alfei Menashe and head of the security committee of Judea and Samaria, said, \"The residents among us who have long-term relationships with Arabs, and who trust them 100%, should begin to realize that the situation has changed, and that there can be no trust.\"
Efrat residents placed pigskin atop the terrorist\'s body, in accordance with British tradition fighting suicide terrorists in India; the Moslems apparently believe that this will block their way to the \"delights of Paradise.\"