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Security forces at the scene of the bulldozer attack in Jerusalem on Tuesday. (AP) Last update - 08:27 23/07/2008 ANALYSIS / Timing of second Jerusalem bulldozer attack was amazing By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff Tags: Israel, bulldozer attack  In a terrorist attack, timing and location are everything. The terrorist who went on the second bulldozer rampage in Jerusalem, managed to strike directly at international consciousness Tuesday. The results of the attack may have been limited compared to the previous time, as a result of the speed with which the police and the civilians responded, but the timing - the timing was amazing. The terrorist attacked in the heart of Jerusalem, several hours prior to the arrival of the personality that attracts the greatest amount of media attention in the planet. It seems that the location was also not haphazard. The path of destruction is less than a minute away from the hotel where Barack Obama will stay, the King David. The result: guaranteed world coverage, second only in the news line up of international media outlets, after the capture of the Bosnian-Serb leader accused of war crimes in Bosnia. This is true, of course, so long as it was indeed a terrorist attack, as the police and the Shin Bet security service say. In the terrorist's village, Umm Touba, they were vociferous Tuesday that the whole incident was an accident: the bulldozer driver lost control over the breaks and was shot only because of the lessons of the previous bulldozer attack. This is a common Palestinian argument in attacks involving vehicles, unlike suicide bombings or shooting attacks where the intent cannot be hidden. Moreover, the family members of the terrorist are keen not to lose any of their rights, which they could if their relative is described as a terrorist. Advertisement One the other hand, it is impossible not to remember the story of the Israeli truck driver who killed four Palestinian workers in the Gaza Strip in December 1987. That accident sparked the first intifada, but the Palestinians are convinced to this day that it was an intentional act. Police explained Tuesday that the lessons of the previous attack were adopted fully and accounted for the quick reaction of the Border Police officer who shot the terrorist. But it is also likely that the pending arrival of the U.S. presidential candidate meant the security forces were on alert, certainly near his hotel. The incident only intensified expectations that Obama will discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict extensively during his visit, about six weeks after the AIPAC conference where he declared his undivided commitment for a united Jerusalem. There is also a sense that the conflict will not wait politely until the change of the guard in Washington. The new president will not have too much time to study the issues. Three hours prior to the attack, Shin Bet security service chief Yuval Diskin spoke before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Knesset and warned the MKs of imminent copycat attacks. Diskin said that terrorists, like the bulldozer driver in the attack earlier this month, Hussam Duwiyat, may have followers. And when it is a matter of a "people's attack," when the perpetrator is acting on his own initiative, it is very difficult to locate him in advance or to deter him. It can almost be said that the Shin Bet foresaw this attack. Was it possible to prevent? The Shin Bet says it is very difficult to "sieve" through hundreds of bulldozer drivers from East Jerusalem who work in the western part of the city, unless they have a record of security-related violations. The fact that the perpetrators were residents of East Jerusalem, with blue (Israeli) identity cards and with complete freedom of movement, makes it very difficult to stop. Related articles: Bulldozer driver goes on rampage in Jerusalem, apparent copycat of recent deadly attack 'No excuses,' says visiting Obama about bulldozer terrorist Bookmark to del.icio.us   A hero or a pharaoh? An Iranian film praising Sadat's assassin has touched off a row between Egypt and Iran. Primary colors Barack Obama looks to reassure Jews of his commitment to Israeli security.   1.   THE SAME KING DAVID HOTEL ? 04:07  |  Arik Silverman 23/07/08   2.   Irans intervention is needed 04:36  |  Arik Copperman 23/07/08   3.   Have test of your own madicine Zionest 04:55  |  farrokh 23/07/08   4.   Ding-a-lings and timing 05:11  |  Mark Lincoln 23/07/08   5.   JERUSALEM ATTACK VS KARADZIC 05:27  |  indrajaya 23/07/08   6.   SILVERMAN King David was the headquaters of the British Army & 05:52  |  PETER SM 23/07/08   7.   Hey farrokh 05:53  |  Shtarka 23/07/08   8.   #1 Get your facts straight 06:08  |  Gili 23/07/08   9.   #5 PETERSM, Jews can be terrorists too... 06:19  |  Silvienne 23/07/08   10.   Barack Obama 07:16  |  Jack 23/07/08   11.   SYLVIENNE AGAIN King David was Brit.military headquaters 07:20  |  PETER SM 23/07/08   12.   FARROKH.You mean kill Arab civillians wherever and whenever? 07:23  |  PETER SM 23/07/08   13.   #1, #7 immoral relativism 07:40  |  Ilan 23/07/08   14.   Re Mark #4... and how this came about... 08:07  |  Esther 23/07/08   15.   Silvieene, Excellent point! 08:18  |  Dutch 23/07/08   16.   Israel pioneered the use of the bulldozer as a WMD, after all 08:34  |  Pete Eriksen 23/07/08   17.   The police passivity encourages crimes in the Arab sector in... 08:53  |  Jean Van Daem 23/07/08   18.   What are we waiting for? 09:31  |  TC 23/07/08   19.   Dear Silvienne 10:35  |  Shtarka 23/07/08   20.   ERIKSEN Can you tell the difference between giving warning before 11:05  |  p 23/07/08   21.   Gili: Stern gang shoots Swedish UN mediator Bernadotte 13:29  |  Dan 23/07/08   22.   Obama and the King David Hotel 13:34  |  Dan 23/07/08   23.   ML`s theory is that meat breeds flies: 13:56  |  x-ray 23/07/08   24.   #4 Go read Amos Harel`s other article, Mark Lincoln 14:23  |  Johnboy 23/07/08   25.   Silvienne #9 14:55  |  Steve 23/07/08   26.   Action Needed Urgently !!! 15:08  |  Gilad 23/07/08   27.   American outrage! 15:26  |  utagawa 23/07/08   28.   Nice comment #8 15:58  |  Slappy 23/07/08   29.   HUNDREDS of Arab Bulldozer Drivers 16:32  |  Steve 23/07/08   30.   True progressives demand dismantling of zionism 16:41  |  Arik Copperman 23/07/08   31.   True progressives demand dismantling of zionism 16:41  |  Arik Copperman 23/07/08   32.   True progressives demand dismantling of zionism 16:41  |  Arik Copperman 23/07/08   33.   # 25 Steve re Irgun and Stern Gang 16:58  |  Traude 23/07/08   34.   Dutch blurs the truth 17:46  |  John 23/07/08   35.   #33 Traude 18:05  |  Harold 23/07/08   36.   PETER: Did the IDF soldier that killed 4 Israeli Arabs 18:58  |  Tupac 23/07/08   37.   Steve in Tel Aviv`s childish history lesson... 19:07  |  Ibrahim 23/07/08   38.   History Lesson for Traude 19:31  |  Knott Bushman 23/07/08   39.   hundreds of drivers soon to be out of work! 19:46  |  michelle 23/07/08   40.   # 38 Knott Bushman 20:49  |  Traude 23/07/08   41.   Ibrahim`s customary bad manners 21:03  |  x-ray 23/07/08   42.   LEHI is also called "the Stern gang" same group! not 2! 12:14  |  Arthur 24/07/08

Read & React Sen. Joe Lieberman praises pastor who said Holocaust was God's work Responses: 39 Obama tells Haaretz: Two states for two peoples Responses: 29 Ashkenazi in U.S.: All options are on the table regarding Iran Responses: 9 Editorial: We need a U.S. leader unfettered by the Israel lobby Responses: 2 Israel Harel: Shalit must be made a burden for Hamas, rather than an asset Responses: 7 Rosner's Domain Is Jimmy Carter 'tone-deaf' to Jewish sensibilities? (WTR) Will Lebanon pay the price for the prisoner swap deal? What will Obama look for in Jerusalem (and Ramallah)? Why does Israel keep agreeing to prisoner swaps? More Headlines 09:20 Obama tells Haaretz: Two states for two peoples 09:31 Ashkenazi in U.S.: All options are on the table regarding Iran 11:35 MKs okay new West Bank homes, despite vow to freeze settlements 11:30 Poll: Tel Aviv more expensive to live in than New York 07:18 Shin Bet head Diskin: Gaza lull is lifeline to Hamas 09:27 ADL condemns anti-Semitic cartoons of Obama, McCain 09:18 Musician Idan Raichel woos Arabs in Al-Jazeera interview 01:40 Olmert: I'll take polygraph to prove I didn't leak probe info 05:49 Sakhnin's only Jewish resident sees Arab town as home 08:25 VIDEO / Reservist pilots: Glamour isn't compensation enough for weekly training 07:43 Father of bulldozer terrorist: 'Someone messed with my son's head' 04:21 Israel tries to get Olympic runner out of Ethiopian jail 06:00 American Jewish billionaire renews talks over Maariv purchase 06:53 After 40 years, Israel braces for return of the bedbug Previous Editions Select Day 23 jul 22 jul 21 jul 20 jul 18 jul 17 jul 16 jul 15 jul 14 jul 13 jul 11 jul 10 jul

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