Prime Minister Sharon convened his Security Cabinet shortly after the blast to discuss Israel\'s response. The Cabinet had been scheduled to meet in any event to discuss how Israel would handle renewed Hizbullah threats to launch a second Oslo War front along Israel\'s northern border. IDF Intelligence Chief Gen. Aharon Ze\'evi Farkash said last night that Hizbullah has thousands of weapons deployed along the Lebanese-Israeli border, including long-range katyushas rockets, and that they are just waiting for an excuse to open fire.
After the meeting was adjoined and its continuation scheduled for later today, Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer convened top IDF officers, Shabak (GSS) and Mossad chiefs, and the Coordinator of IDF Activities in Yesha for an emergency meeting of their own.
Reactions:
* Prime Minister Sharon opened this morning\'s meeting by asking the ministers \"not to get over-riled up on a day like today.\"
* President Moshe Katzav said today that it is not out of the question that Arafat will be expelled from Israel as part of Israel\'s response to the Megiddo attack.
* Government Minister Brig.-Gen. (res.) Effie Eitam of the National Religious Party said today that Israel must expel Arafat, and also take over all PLO-controlled areas until they are totally purified of the terrorist infrastructure.
* Opposition leader MK Yossi Sarid (Meretz) said that the ones to blame for the attacks are certainly the terrorists, \"but the Israeli government is also responsible\" for not coming up with a diplomatic initiative. Sarid also said that the government is \"delaying putting up the separation fence and dismantling the settlements, and is thus helping perpetuate the intolerable status quo.\"
After the meeting was adjoined and its continuation scheduled for later today, Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer convened top IDF officers, Shabak (GSS) and Mossad chiefs, and the Coordinator of IDF Activities in Yesha for an emergency meeting of their own.
Reactions:
* Prime Minister Sharon opened this morning\'s meeting by asking the ministers \"not to get over-riled up on a day like today.\"
* President Moshe Katzav said today that it is not out of the question that Arafat will be expelled from Israel as part of Israel\'s response to the Megiddo attack.
* Government Minister Brig.-Gen. (res.) Effie Eitam of the National Religious Party said today that Israel must expel Arafat, and also take over all PLO-controlled areas until they are totally purified of the terrorist infrastructure.
* Opposition leader MK Yossi Sarid (Meretz) said that the ones to blame for the attacks are certainly the terrorists, \"but the Israeli government is also responsible\" for not coming up with a diplomatic initiative. Sarid also said that the government is \"delaying putting up the separation fence and dismantling the settlements, and is thus helping perpetuate the intolerable status quo.\"