Monday morning’s deadly suicide blast in Tel Aviv proves that the Palestinian Authority has not changed even though Yasser Arafat is seriously ill in France, according to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The bombing attack, which killed two women and a 67-year-old Jaffa man, confirms “there is no change in the PA leadership,” he added.
The bomber was a 16-year-old suicide terrorist, Amar Alfar, from the Askar refugee camp in Shechem, who blew himself up in the 11:20 AM blast near a Kosher cheese store in the crowded Carmel market. One of the dead women was described as being in her 30s and the other in her 60s. Neither has been identified. More than 30 were injured, including four in serious condition.
The attack came at the same time that Israel’s internal security chief told a Tel Aviv economic conference that there has been “a drastic decline in the number of terrorist attacks.” Avi Dichter, head of the General Security Services (Shin Bet), cited statistics that Israel this year has prevented 74 per cent of attempted attacks compared to 62 per cent in 2003. He added, “Every loss of life is a heavy price.”
The mid-morning attack was planned for Jerusalem, security sources reported, but Tel Aviv was chosen because of strict security in the capital. Several merchants in the Carmel market complained that security in the areas is lax.
The police closed off several streets in the area and on the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway in a search for the driver of the terrorist.
The suicide bomber’s mother said Arab terrorist leaders “should have sent an adult who understands the meaning of his deeds” because “it’s immoral to send someone so young.”
Carmel market vegetable stand owner Yair Levy said: “After the blast, we left our stands and ran towards the scene of the attack to see how we could help. Some people had gone into shock, and the first thing we did was evacuate them from the area in case another blast was to go off. We do not fear coming to work here. Life must continue. We have no complaints against the police or their work.”
One of the injured was a 36-year-old market employee named Dror. He said he was “10 meters away from the suicide terrorist. He was at a cheese booth right across from my meat stand. It was the hour that the market is packed with people. I heard the blast, and an object hit me. I couldn’t identify exactly what hit me, because pieces of the booth flew in all directions.”
Although he complained of “a terribly loud ring in my ears and slight pain in my back,” Dror vowed to return to work at the market. Both Arabs and Jews work side by side in the Carmel vegetable market.
The terrorist targeted the southern part of the market near the intersection of Rambam and HaCarmel streets. Based on the damages in the vicinity, eye-witnesses are saying that the explosive device was not a medium-sized one. A Bomb Squad expert said that the crowded and closed-in nature of the market vicinity intensified the effect of the explosion.
The suicide bomber apparently departed for the attack from Shechem, 30 miles northeast of Tel Aviv. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for the attack. The PFLP is considered a secular Arab gang and not an Islamic group. At the time of its founding in the early 1960’s by George Habash, many Christian Arabs were part of the PFLP. Today, however, few non-Moslems belong.
Security forces receive every day both general and specific warning of terrorist attacks and have prevented most of them. As of today, they reported 44 warnings of planned attacks but none of them singled out Tel Aviv.
At least three suicide bombers have been nabbed this week, most of them in the Shechem and Jenin area. It also was revealed Monday that three Arabs from the “Triangle” area between Hadera and Kfar Saba were remanded in court after having planned to blow up a train near Netanya.
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The bomber was a 16-year-old suicide terrorist, Amar Alfar, from the Askar refugee camp in Shechem, who blew himself up in the 11:20 AM blast near a Kosher cheese store in the crowded Carmel market. One of the dead women was described as being in her 30s and the other in her 60s. Neither has been identified. More than 30 were injured, including four in serious condition.
After the blast
The attack came at the same time that Israel’s internal security chief told a Tel Aviv economic conference that there has been “a drastic decline in the number of terrorist attacks.” Avi Dichter, head of the General Security Services (Shin Bet), cited statistics that Israel this year has prevented 74 per cent of attempted attacks compared to 62 per cent in 2003. He added, “Every loss of life is a heavy price.”
The mid-morning attack was planned for Jerusalem, security sources reported, but Tel Aviv was chosen because of strict security in the capital. Several merchants in the Carmel market complained that security in the areas is lax.
The police closed off several streets in the area and on the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway in a search for the driver of the terrorist.
Six people are reportedly in serious condition
The suicide bomber’s mother said Arab terrorist leaders “should have sent an adult who understands the meaning of his deeds” because “it’s immoral to send someone so young.”
Carmel market vegetable stand owner Yair Levy said: “After the blast, we left our stands and ran towards the scene of the attack to see how we could help. Some people had gone into shock, and the first thing we did was evacuate them from the area in case another blast was to go off. We do not fear coming to work here. Life must continue. We have no complaints against the police or their work.”
One of the injured was a 36-year-old market employee named Dror. He said he was “10 meters away from the suicide terrorist. He was at a cheese booth right across from my meat stand. It was the hour that the market is packed with people. I heard the blast, and an object hit me. I couldn’t identify exactly what hit me, because pieces of the booth flew in all directions.”
Although he complained of “a terribly loud ring in my ears and slight pain in my back,” Dror vowed to return to work at the market. Both Arabs and Jews work side by side in the Carmel vegetable market.
The terrorist targeted the southern part of the market near the intersection of Rambam and HaCarmel streets. Based on the damages in the vicinity, eye-witnesses are saying that the explosive device was not a medium-sized one. A Bomb Squad expert said that the crowded and closed-in nature of the market vicinity intensified the effect of the explosion.
Askar Neighborhood of Shechem
The suicide bomber apparently departed for the attack from Shechem, 30 miles northeast of Tel Aviv. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for the attack. The PFLP is considered a secular Arab gang and not an Islamic group. At the time of its founding in the early 1960’s by George Habash, many Christian Arabs were part of the PFLP. Today, however, few non-Moslems belong.
Security forces receive every day both general and specific warning of terrorist attacks and have prevented most of them. As of today, they reported 44 warnings of planned attacks but none of them singled out Tel Aviv.
At least three suicide bombers have been nabbed this week, most of them in the Shechem and Jenin area. It also was revealed Monday that three Arabs from the “Triangle” area between Hadera and Kfar Saba were remanded in court after having planned to blow up a train near Netanya.
Click here for our free Daily Newsletter from Israel