Kiryat Shemona Shelled for Second Time in Three Days; Youth Killed, Two Brothers Injured

Tragedy struck Kiryat Shemona for the second time in three days last night when the little Upper Galilee village was hit by guerrilla rockets fired from Lebanon which killed an 18 year-old boy and wounded two of his brothers. The victim was Dany Chayu. His brother Herzl, 14, was seriously hurt but reported out of danger. Another brother Amnon, 17 suffered lesser wounds. The youngsters were in their home when it collapsed under a direct hit. Their parents and two sisters were unhurt. Last Wednesday night Katyusha rockets fired at Kiryat Shemona claimed the lives of Simon Banjo, 56 and his 17 year-old daughter, Rina, as they were running to a bomb shelter. The latest attack brought Defense Minister Moshe Dayan back to the scene that he had visited only two days earlier to inspect the damage and console the Banjo family. This time it was the bereaved family of Chain Chad who was still wearing a shirt stained with his oldest son’s blood when Gen. Dayan escorted him by helicopter to the hospital where his two younger sons were being treated.

The Defense Minister promised the settlers of Kirit Shema that measures would be taken to bolster the village’s security against guerrilla attacks. He warned that responsibility for the attacks lies with the authorities in Lebanon who have done nothing to halt them. Kirit Shema was not the only border village under attack. Far Duval and Beth Hillel were hit by Katusha rockets last night but suffered no casualties or damage. General Dayan and Chief of Staff Haim Bar Lev warned Thursday night that Israel may have to act to check across-the-border raids by Lebanese saboteurs. Gen. Dayan asserted that while Israel wants peace with Lebanon, its only obligation is to defend Israeli citizens, adding, “if there will be need, we shall act across the border as well.” He said all necessary steps would be taken to minimize the danger of attack, but noted that the border could not be hermetically sealed. In a televised interview, Gen. Bar Lev said that the countries from which border attacks originate must be responsible for them. While Israel has “no interest in taking more drastic and radical steps” than defending herself, he said, the time may come for it to consider revising that policy.