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Jerusalem Bus Bombing
Talking PointsAugust 20, 2003
On Tuesday, August 19, 2003, a Palestinian terrorist blew himself up on a bus in Jerusalem. The bus was returning from the Western Wall, and carried many women and children. 20 people were killed, including 5 children, and over 130 were wounded, including 40 children.
- This attack targeted "the most innocent of the innocents" - young children and tiny babies.
Every terror attack is a tragedy, but when so many young children are killed and wounded, the tragedy is especially terrible.
- Early reports say the suicide bomber was a preacher or even a teacher - this man should be educating the next generation of Palestinians for peace, instead, he chose to blow up Israeli Children.
- Over the past four weeks, Israel has begun to implement its commitments from the Roadmap. It has dismantled outposts and checkpoints and has begun to withdraw out of areas under PA control. Israel has granted the Palestinians thousands of entry permits into Israel and has transferred tax money to the PA. Israel has also begun a confidence-building measure not mentioned in the Roadmap: over 700 Palestinian prisoners have been released from Israeli jails.
Whenever Israel extends its hand in peace, and carries out goodwill gestures to further negotiations, terrorists respond with more attacks.
- The Palestinian Authority must choose between agreements with terrorists or peace with Israel. The two concepts are mutually exclusive: peace and terrorism cannot coexist.
It's time for the Palestinians to put terrorists behind bars – instead of demanding that Israel release the terrorists it caught.
"The real question is how the Palestinian leadership is going to respond. Now is the time to make decisions and take actions. Israel has had enough with empty announcements and declarations." - FM Silvan Shalom
- There is no difference between the attack on UN personnel in Baghdad and Israeli civilians in Jerusalem – both are crimes against humanity. These two attacks targeted those who dream of bringing peace to the Middle East and improving the lives of all its residents. That is why we must all unite in the fight against terrorism.
- As a result of the recent terrorist attacks, Israel has temporarily frozen all contacts with the Palestinians, cancelled the transfer of additional cities and begun to re-evaluate the entire situation in Israel. The government's cabinet meeting today will decide on further policy decisions.
Additional Resources:
