The Mideast has gone mad

The Middle East has gone mad: explosions are sounding at the streets, blood is flowing like water, and Islamic militants in eager rivalry claim responsibility for the recent act of terrorism in Jerusalem.

Hamas was the first to state that the act of terrorism had been committed by a militant from Izeddin al-Qasam’s units (Hamas military wing). Later, militants of Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the act of terrorism in an interview to Arab TV channels. It had been originally stated on the basis of an anonymous telephone call that Tanzim terrorist group was responsible for the attack.

The Palestinian Authority declared it was not responsible for the act of terrorism, but Israelis do not believe it. No loud official statements have been made yet, but it is perfectly clear that Israel will respond adequately to the act of terrorism. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon arrived to the site and made a short statement to journalists. He said that “the act of terrorism was a sequel to the Palestinian terror with which we plan to struggle fiercely.” The statement concluded with a rhetoric question: “What kind of state can the Palestinians create?”

The majority of people believe that today’s act of terrorism was revenge for the murder of Walid Sbeh, one of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades’ top officials killed by an Israeli sharpshooter on Tuesday.

The press-service of the Israeli Defense Army confirms that Sbeh was a key figure in fatah and was also responsible for recruiting and training of suicide terrorists. In particular, he was responsible for the act of terrorism at Sheffield nigh club when an explosion killed 17 Israelis. In addition, yesterday, EU foreign ministers reviewed the list of terrorist organizations and added four more to the list; they are Palestinian mostly: the National Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs, and the Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Dmitry Litvinovich PRAVDA.Ru

Photo from NTVRU archives

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/06/18/42805.html