Israelis Express Outrage Over Market Bomb Attack
Mourners screamed at Cabinet members over the freshly dug grave of a bombing victim Thursday, crying out for tough action against Palestinian militants for the terror bombing of a crowded Jerusalem market.
“You lied to us!” a grieving man shouted to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s finance minister at one of 11 funerals that turned Israel’s capital into a city of grief.
Netanyahu vowed to “do whatever is necessary to protect my people” and threatened to send troops into Palestinian territories to stop any new terror attacks. A Palestinian negotiator said that would amount to a “declaration of war.”
Israel’s government struck out at Palestinians - leaders, militants and ordinary citizens - over Wednesday’s twin suicide bombing, which killed 15 people and wounded more than 150 at Jerusalem’s most popular vegetable market.
Israeli security forces arrested dozens of Palestinians, Israeli warplanes hovered over Yasser Arafat’s headquarters and the Gaza Strip, and Israeli guards closed the nation’s borders to all Palestinians.
“I will do what is necessary, wherever we think is necessary, at the time we think is necessary. I don’t preclude any possibilities,” Netanyahu told The Associated Press.
At the funeral of bombing victim David Nasco, a 43-year-old shoe store owner, Israeli mourners turned on members of Netanyahu’s government in attendance.
“You lied to us!” one man cried to Finance Minister Yaacov Neeman over Nasco’s grave. “We voted for you because you said you’d be strong, but you’re just like the Labor government - weak, in the hands of (Yasser) Arafat.”
Hundreds of people - sobbing women in head scarves and men singing psalms - attended Nasco’s funeral, one of 11 for bombing victims Thursday.
“Death to the Arabs and Arafat!” some shouted.
Others focused their anger on Public Safety Minister Avigdor Kahalani, calling: “You promised us peace! We want action!”
“We will do everything possible to hurt these murderers,” Kahalani promised. “We didn’t fail. We’ll figure it out.”
Wednesday’s bombing was the first major militant attack since Netanyahu came to power in May 1996. The only previous bombing during his administration was a March 21 suicide bombing at a Tel Aviv cafe, which killed three Israelis and the bomber.
Israel suspended peace talks immediately after Wednesday’s blasts, which came just days after the two sides agreed to return to the negotiating table after a four-month deadlock.