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In wake of latest bombing, Israel plans crackdown on terrorists

March 4, 1996
Web posted at: 7:45 p.m. EST (0045 GMT)

TEL AVIV, Israel (CNN) -- Hours after the fourth suicide bomb attack in Israel in nine days, the Israeli government announced a sweeping new campaign against Palestinian terrorists.

Peres

"We will go to any corner of where the terror has taken root," Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres vowed Monday.

Shortly after the crackdown was announced, Palestinian security forces announced that the alleged mastermind behind the first three suicide bombings had been arrested.

A suicide bomber killed 14 people in Tel Aviv Monday bringing the total number of people killed in attacks in the past nine days to 62. More than 100 people were wounded in Monday's blast.

Protests

As part of its crackdown on terrorism, Israel claimed the right to enter Palestinian self-rule areas to fight Muslim militants who are responsible for a wave of suicide bombings.

"The decision says we can operate in any area, any place where there are Hamas targets representing a threat or where they are planning an attack," Religious Affairs Minister Shimon Shetreet said after an emergency cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv.

Monday's explosion occurred outside a shopping mall on Tel Aviv's main thoroughfare Dizengoff Street. The blast rocked one of the city's busiest intersections, shattering store windows at the shopping mall where children had gathered in costume for the festive Purim holiday.

The Israeli Army said a suicide bomber with explosives strapped to him was turned away just as he attempted to enter the shopping mall. The explosion went off next to a line of customers waiting to use an ATM machine.

An unidentified caller told Israeli radio that the Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas carried out the attack, the second in two days.

Rabinovitch

"The recent wave of attacks has affected the very fundamentals of public life in Israel," said Israel's Ambassador to the U.S. Itamar Rabinovitch, speaking after the cabinet meeting. (349K AIFF sound or 349K WAV sound)

He said the goals of the crackdown on terrorism in Israel are to:

Peres declined to discuss details on plans that could allow Israeli soldiers to enter Palestinian self-rule areas. Asked about the decision, Peres said Israeli forces would go where they need to go to get terrorists.

"What I needed to spell out, I did. What I didn't think I should specify, I didn't."

Palestinians protest decision to enter self-rule areas

Protest

News that Israel may send its forces into Palestinian- controlled areas to combat terrorism drew sharp reactions throughout Israel's Palestinian community.

Marwan Kanafani, spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat told CNN, "We are very disturbed by this decision. We believe that if executed it might raise tensions ... The Palestinian Authority has taken effective action to combat terror. We hope that the anger will not lead to actions which could hurt citizens on both sides."

Arafat, himself, did not immediately respond to the cabinet's decision, but condemned the latest bombing and pledged to support Israeli efforts to crack down on Palestinian terrorists.

SIgn

"We will cooperate with the Israeli government in confronting this dangerous criminal activity that is aimed against the peace process and against the two people -- the Palestinians and the Israelis," he said.

Gaza Police Chief Ghazi al-Jabali told Reuters "The outcome of the Israeli decision will not be favorable. We have done and will continue to do what we can to fight terrorism, but to enter Palestinians areas is a violation of the (peace) agreement."

Only a day earlier, after a bus bombing in Jerusalem, Peres had pledged war on Hamas to stop the bombings. A Muslim militant leader warned Sunday that there would be more bloodshed if Israel made good on its pledge.

"It they force us to drink from this cup, they'll drink from it, too," said Mahmoud Zahhar, a Hamas leader.

Political leaders of Hamas, however, appealed to their Qassam military wing on Tuesday to end suicide bombings, Senior Hamas member Mohammed Shamaa said during a news conference.

United Nations condemns bombing

The U.N. Security Council on Monday condemned the "vile acts" of terror in Israel as world leaders expressed outrage and fears for the future of Middle East peace.

U.S. President Bill Clinton also condemned the attack and promised Israelis that if they "continue to fight for peace we will stand with you." (145K AIFF sound or 145K WAV sound)

Asked what the United States is willing to do, U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry, said help would likely come principally in the form of assistance with intelligence gathering.

"We have had for years a close consultation with the Israeli defense forces," he said, "and our intelligence people have had a close liaison with the Israeli intelligence forces. Both of those will be intensified, and we'll do everything that we reasonably can to help the Israelis get through this very difficult problem."

The Israeli delegation working in Maryland on a peace proposal with Syria was told to go home Monday.

"This is not the context within which an effective peace process can be conducted," said Israeli Ambassador Rabinovitch. "For now the Israeli delegation has been instructed to go back to Israel." (400K AIFF sound or 400K WAV sound)

While acknowledging the obvious threat to the peace process, Peres expressed confidence that the latest outbreak of extremism would be quelled.

"We are going through an extremely difficult time," he said. "It is a challenge and a challenging time. I don't have the slightest doubt we shall overcome ... I have full confidence in our ability to handle the situation." (213k AIFF sound or 213K WAV sound)

Asked if Hamas members would be arrested, Peres said, "The arrests against Hamas members have already started."

Mohammed Abu Wardeh, 28, of the West bank town of Ramalla, the alleged ringleader of the first three suicide bombers, was arrested over the weekend, according to Palestinian authorities.

A student at the local teachers college, Wardeh is believed to have planned the February 25 suicide bombing on a Jerusalem city bus and Sunday's explosion on the same bus line. He has not been tied to Monday's explosion.

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