WAR: Israel braces for clashes after militant Jew kills four Arabs

An Israeli militant shot dead four Arabs on a bus in a town in Israel. Among those killed were the bus driver and middle aged man (both were Christians), and 2 Muslim sisters in their 20's. The shooter was beaten to death by outraged residents who witnessed the killings. The Israeli police were deployed in the thousands to hold off any rioting that could start in retaliation for the murders.



Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres both condemned the actions and expressed their wishes for justice to be done. Israeli police have arrested 3 youths they believe may have known about the young militants plan to kill the Arabs.

This was the worst attack of its kind since a West Bank settler killed 29 Palestinians praying in a mosque in 1994. That event sparked a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings six weeks following 1994 killings.

[edit on 5-8-2005 by mpeake]

how come this isn't on the mainstream news? ive been looking around Skynews,CNN, etc and they are not covering this

I don't know, but this has the potential to be a very big deal. This could be the match that is thrown onto the pile of dry hay.

It did come across the wire last night, but I was too busy to post it up.

Most of the main news sources have it:

Reuters
Israel braces for clashes after Jew kills 4 Arabs


BBC
Israel on alert after bus attack

I don't know, but this has the potential to be a very big deal. This could be the match that is thrown onto the pile of dry hay.

agreed.

things *could* explode now and i wouldn't be suprised if it did

I found something at Fox News as well.

Thirteen people, including bus passengers and two policemen, were wounded in the shooting, which appeared linked to tensions over the upcoming Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank (search).

The military identified the dead soldier as Pvt. Eden Natan-Zada (search), a resident of the Jewish settlement of Tapuah (search) in the West Bank. Natan-Zada's father, Yitzhak, told The Associated Press his son ran away from his army unit several weeks ago after being told he would have to participate in the Gaza pullout.

Israel Radio said the gunman was bludgeoned to death by the crowd. After the attack, the gunman's body lay on the floor of the bus, and police had covered his head with a black plastic bag. His shirtless upper torso was heavily bruised and bloodied.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (search) denounced the shooting as "a despicable act by a bloodthirsty terrorist." Settler leaders also condemned the attack.

Security officials have been warning for months that Jewish militants, desperate to sabotage Israel's pullout, might attack Arabs to deflect Israeli forces away from the Gaza pullout. The police commissioner, Moshe Karadi, warned the shooting could trigger more violence.

The attack took place on the No. 165, which shuttles between the Arab town of Shfaram in northern Israel and nearby communities. At around 6 p.m., the bearded gunman, who wore an Israeli army uniform, boarded the bus and opened fire. Police said the attacker wore a skullcap, identifying him as an Orthodox Jew.

Four people were killed, including the driver. Police said the four apparently were all residents of Shfaram.

The windows of the bus were shattered. Blood stained some of the seats. A policeman stood near the body, using a bullhorn to address a crowd of thousands at the scene.

Sounds like a pretty gruesome scene!

[edit on 5-8-2005 by mpeake]

I'm a bit confused here. I've gotten 2 "No" votes on this article because of the Headline. I took the Headline from the Rueters article. I guess I'll try and adjust the wording, but I'm not sure why

i see nothing wrong with the title

its fine to me

That's how I felt too...oh well, I guess if people think this is "news worthy" they'll vote it in...

well i hope this doesnt start another war between Arabs and Jews in the holy land, but im afraid that this does have the potential.

It may, but lets hope that common sence pervails. Sharons quick condemnation of the attack is good and Abbas has to keep the militant forces from acting up. It will only take a few of these "incidents" to pretty much return things to where they were. You lose Abbas or Sharon and they get replaced with hardliners like a Netanyahu et al and we are right back to pre Arafat's death.

I wonder if they will put those on trial that killed the Solder?

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon condemned the gunman, a teenage Israeli soldier who was beaten to death by enraged residents after the attack in the Arab town of Shfaram, as a "bloodthirsty terrorist" bent on poisoning Jewish-Arab relations.

I would be very surprised. The IAF will want to quickly let this one die (no pun intended) even if you could figure out which in the mob killed the soilder, the trial would simply stoke the militants into more acts of violence on both sides.

As settlements are pulled up we may see more of these attacks from both sides.

Given the way the mobs responded to the "alleged" Koran flushing, I'm afraid that the reaction could be just as bad, or even worse.

That's how I felt too...oh well, I guess if people think this is "news worthy" they'll vote it in...

Frankly I am surprised this has not been upgraded yet. There sure seems to be enough interest, go figure.

It is a good story and one that should be covered.

I just wish there were more details on the solder that did the shooting.

Both sides will probably let this pass and hope that no more violence happens. Sharon is probably trying to focus on leaving the Gaza strip without anymore violence.

Despite police fears of riots, no unusual incidents were reported, and even Friday prayers at the Temple Mount, in which some 35,000 participated, ended quietly.

The general strike in the Arab sector, declared by the Israeli Arab Follow-Up Committee was hardly felt Friday, and many businesses were open.

Well, this is the last little piece to make the puzzle complete...

we ALL have extremists in our culture...
We ALL need to rout them out... even if they are our friend, or family (not likely in civilized coutries, but possible)
.... they endanger us all...
If we don't clean our side of the street, then we can't, in good conscience, expect the other side to clean theirs...

If we do, and they don't, then the public sway will be in support of condemming the countries that still allow terrorists to live an breathe on their soil... to the point of supporting war.

as to the crazy schmuck that did this... well, he killed CHRISTIANS and muslims, so we can all be pissed together...

Why aren't our extremists (aryan brotherhood and others) over there, causing them problems?
Either they are too chicken, or maybe.... even THEY decided that killing innocents is not the path to follow...
wow... never thought I would see the day that there would be a worse group than the aryan supremists.

Fox News covered this story last night. It is an act of terrorism and Sharon was right to condemn the action. Israel needs to take very serious action against Jewish extremists if they are tobforestall retaliatory action by Palestinian terror groups.

[edit on 2005/8/5 by GradyPhilpott]

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
Fox News covered this story last night. It is an act of terrorism and Sharon was right to condemn the action. Israel needs to take very serious action against Jewish extremists if they are forestall retaliatory action by Palestinian terror groups.

EXACTLY... let israel show the world an example of how we ALL should treat extremists