Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze\'evi strongly criticized the army\'s response to yesterday\'s deadly suicide terrorist attack in Binyamina, near Hadera, calling it \"ridiculous and worthless muscle-flexing.\" Ze\'evi said, \"This is not the way to fight terrorism.\" Other ministers agreed that it was slow in coming, ineffective, and undermining of Israel\'s deterrence capabilities.
The retaliation consisted of tank fire at military installations of both the PA and Arafat’s elite Force 17 unit in Jenin and Tul Karem; Israeli forces did not enter the PA areas. The retaliatory offensive, some three hours after the terrorist attack, gave the terrorists enough time to leave their positions, which they in fact did. Most of Tul Karem was without electricity this morning. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, while Israeli leaders dismissed the PA\'s condemnation thereof. Sharon\'s press advisor Raanan Gissin said, \"This clearly indicates that the Palestinian Authority is not taking any steps or measures to stop the violence, despite the fact that we have provided them with names and information about the suicide bombers.\"
Six of the ten wounded in yesterday\'s attack in Binyamina are still hospitalized. The two soldiers who were killed - a female and male, Corp. Hanit Arami, 19, and St.-Sgt. Avi Ben-Harosh, 20 - will be buried in their hometown of Zikhron Yaakov this evening. The condition of two others is grave and serious, respectively; both were operated on last night. Another woman is listed in light-to-moderate condition, and the wounds of three others are listed as \"light.\" Binyamina Mayor Aryeh Zaituni told Arutz-7 today, \"We had had hot warnings of an impending attack for the last few days, and we knew that his target was a train - either in Binyamina or in [nearby] Pardes Chana. In the event, because of the heavy police protection, the terrorist was unable to enter the train station, and instead exploded the bomb outside.\"
The retaliation consisted of tank fire at military installations of both the PA and Arafat’s elite Force 17 unit in Jenin and Tul Karem; Israeli forces did not enter the PA areas. The retaliatory offensive, some three hours after the terrorist attack, gave the terrorists enough time to leave their positions, which they in fact did. Most of Tul Karem was without electricity this morning. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, while Israeli leaders dismissed the PA\'s condemnation thereof. Sharon\'s press advisor Raanan Gissin said, \"This clearly indicates that the Palestinian Authority is not taking any steps or measures to stop the violence, despite the fact that we have provided them with names and information about the suicide bombers.\"
Six of the ten wounded in yesterday\'s attack in Binyamina are still hospitalized. The two soldiers who were killed - a female and male, Corp. Hanit Arami, 19, and St.-Sgt. Avi Ben-Harosh, 20 - will be buried in their hometown of Zikhron Yaakov this evening. The condition of two others is grave and serious, respectively; both were operated on last night. Another woman is listed in light-to-moderate condition, and the wounds of three others are listed as \"light.\" Binyamina Mayor Aryeh Zaituni told Arutz-7 today, \"We had had hot warnings of an impending attack for the last few days, and we knew that his target was a train - either in Binyamina or in [nearby] Pardes Chana. In the event, because of the heavy police protection, the terrorist was unable to enter the train station, and instead exploded the bomb outside.\"