Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir spoke out Sunday against a series of arson attacks against well-known Israeli personalities that have security forces baffled.
The attacks apparently are being perpetrated by a previously unknown group calling itself Sicarii — after the Jewish zealots who engaged in terrorism against the Romans at the end of the Second Temple period.
The group took responsibility for burning the door of the home of pollster Mina Tzemah, who had just published a public opinion survey favoring the left if elections were held today.
The group also took responsibility earlier this month for burning the car door of writer Dan Almagor, who has been active in Peace Now, and last week for a similar act on the car of journalist Dan Margalit, who recently interviewed Palestinian activist Faisal al-Husseini.
The group likewise claimed responsibility for an attempt to burn gas containers near the apartment of the son of Knesset member Yair Tsaban of Mapam, the United Workers Party of Israel. Tsaban attended a conference in New York last week, along with officials of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Shamir reproached the “grave phenomenon” and expressed confidence during Sunday’s weekly Cabinet session that the police would uncover the group and bring the responsible parties to justice. He had been under pressure to make a statement because of recent remarks against Peace Now.
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