A terrorist attack on an Israeli bus and actions by “rebellious” Jewish settlers heightened tensions a week before Israeli troops are scheduled to redeploy under the terms of the Israel-Palestine Liberation Organization accord.
The attack on a bus on the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway Sunday claimed the life of one Israeli as well as the perpetrator, who was shot and killed by a soldier.
The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, which was carried out by a resident of a Gaza Strip refugee camp. The man had forced his way onto the bus and had opened fire before he was thrown outside by the bus driver.
Over the weekend, Palestinian youths stoned the car of Rabbi Moshe Levinger, head of the Jewish seminary and settlement in Kiryat Arba.
Settlers later attacked Palestinians in Hebron, and one Palestinian was killed.
The Israeli army called the settlers’ actions “provocation,” while the settlers claimed self-defense.
Five settlers have been arrested and more arrests are expected.
‘PASSING THROUGH A VERY DIFFICULT PHASE’
Measures to curb the violence, by both Palestinians and Jews, were discussed in the Cabinet’s weekly meeting.
Education Minister Amnon Rubinstein said Sunday’s bus attack in such a central location was a very serious one.
It “makes it incumbent upon us to fight terrorism and to hunt for these assassins,” he said.
Rubinstein also said the government would do everything within its power to combat the lawlessness of the settlers and to bring those responsible to justice.
“We are passing through a very difficult phase,” he told Israel Radio. “We don’t see the results of our agreement with the PLO, but we see only the problems created by those Arab terrorists and some of the settlers who want to sabotage the peace process.”
Health Minister Haim Ramon demanded action against the Jewish “rebels.”
“Today there is a very tough cell among the settlers which has decided to break the law and essentially declared rebellion against the rule of law in the State of Israel,” Ramon said after the Cabinet meeting.
“I propose that the Israeli Defense Forces would deal with this cell the same way that they deal with lawbreakers on the Arab side,” he said.
The bus attack provoked new charges by the opposition that the government’s security policy is misguided and ineffective.
Police Minister Moshe Shahal said the government would not be persuaded to change its course toward peace.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, on an official visit in Jerusalem, made an appeal to parties in the region to refrain from violence.
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