A Palestinian security source told United Press International that
locations that were hit included the studios of satellite and regular TV,
Palestinian leader's Yasser Arafat's elite Force 17 headquarters, branches
of the Preventive Security service, the main headquarters of Arafat's Fatah
Party, the Palestinian anti-crime police, including a college for police
officers, and the new building of Palestinian intelligence. Electric power
in Gaza was also hit, plunging the city into darkness.
The source said that the attack was in response to the bombing of an
Israeli school bus Monday in which two people died. Israeli reports said the
pair were teachers, but Palestinian media reported that the victims were
Israeli soldiers. Nine people, including five children, were hurt.
Palestinian medical sources said at least 35 people were wounded in the
apparent retaliatory attacks.
Arafat's media adviser, Nabil Abu-Rudieneh, said Israel was completely
responsible for the consequences of the attack.
The Palestinian Authority denied blame for the bus attack and
urged the Israeli government to resist a military response. But three
Palestinian groups, two that had never been heard of before and one that had
taken blame for several recent attacks, reportedly admitted to
carrying out the bombing.
The rhetoric in Israel was harsh.
"The Israeli government considers the Palestinian Authority responsible
for the murderous attack, this morning on the bus that carried children," a
statement said.
Some members of Israel's inner Cabinet asked for a stern Israeli response
to the bombing.
Brig. Gen. Yair Naveh, commander of the Israeli division in the area, said
three people positioned about 200 yards from the road apparently detonated a
120mm shell when the bus passed. There was no Israeli confirmation of
soldiers on the bus.
"As you see, we are not in a lull but in a war, and the targets are soft,
civilians and children," Naveh told reporters.
The division's deputy commander, Col. Pini Levy, said a military vehicle
was ahead of the bus and another was behind. "The target was carefully
chosen and chosen as a children's target," Levy said.
After the inner Cabinet convened, Barak said the attack was "especially
grave and serious."
The government's dilemma, President Moshe Katsav told settlers leaders,
was whether to break the terrorists' bones or take some action that would
still leave open the possibility of continuing peace talks.
Meir Shetrit, a moderate leader in the Likud opposition, said the attack
was professional and noted that when Arafat wanted to maintain quiet "fact
is there were no attacks."
"If the other side wants war, I suggest we show it what war is
so they that will ask for a cease-fire and understand they will gain nothing
by violence, only round the negotiating table."
Copyright 2000 by United Press International.
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