Dmitry Litvinovich: Israel will avenge the "Russians"

The Mideast conflict has intensified once again. An act of terrorism has occurred in the Israeli city of Hadera. Former citizens of the ex-USSR are among the victims.

The act of terrorism occurred about 11:00 p.m. local time on Thursday. A terrorist rushed into a banquet room where a birthday of a 12-year-old girl, a daughter of immigrants from the USSR, was celebrated, and opened fire.

The organization Al-Aksa Martyrs’ Batallions claimed responsibility for the act of terrorism and even named the kamikadze who committed the act. He is Abed Issaljam Sadik Kasune from the Arab village of Beyt-Imrin to the north from Nablus. The organization is a militarized subdivision of the Fatah organization headed by Yasser Arafat. The other day, it announced the recommencement of hostilities against Israel. The motive of the war is revenge for the death of the organization’s leader, who was murdered by the Mossad.

Israel’s reaction was violent: the Israeli air force attacked the headquarters of the Palestinian security forces in the town of Tulkarm on the West Bank. A spokesman for the Israeli armed forces said that the raid was revenge for the attack in Hadera. Israel thinks that the leadership of the Palestinian autonomy, and Arafat personally, are responsible for the acts of terrorism.

Moreover, Israel’s army has once again introduced a policy of total isolation for the Palestinian towns on the West Bank. Ramallah, Tulkarm, Nablus, Jenin, Qalqilya, and several small Palestinian settlements are covered by this policy. Now, almost the whole territory of the West Bank is controlled by the Israeli army. However, it doesn't seem to be enough for Israel; the Israel government says that an even stricter policy is to be carried out regarding the Palestinians.

Dmitry Litvinovich PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/01/18/35708.html