Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., July 06, 2008 Tamuz 3, 5768 | | Israel Time: 16:04 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 01:41 03/07/2008 Bulldozer driver on downtown J'lem rampage leaves 3 dead, 80 injured By Barak Ravid and Jonathan Lis , Haaretz Correspondents and Agencies Tags: east jerusalem  Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert decided to act swiftly to resume the demolition of homes of East Jerusalem terrorists who hold Israeli ID cards, following yesterday's terrorist attack in Jerusalem. Olmert said the attack "must be answered harshly" as a deterrent. Shortly after the attack, Olmert ordered ministers to examine the possibility of razing the terrorist's home in East Jerusalem. Advertisement In talks with Barak, Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog and Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann, Olmert also ordered the ministers to consider revoking National Insurance Institute stipends from the terrorist's family. The ministers promised to examine the legal guidelines and report back by the end of the day, so that the cabinet could begin the proceedings. After the terror attack on the Merkaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem a few months ago, the attorney general decided to reexamine the legal options of imposing sanctions against terrorists who hold Israeli ID cards and their families. Today the attorney general's deputy, Attorney Shai Nitzan, will hold a debate on the issue with representatives of the defense and justice ministries, the IDF, police, Prime Minister's Office and Shin Bet Security Services. The debate will focus on demolishing East Jerusalem terrorists' houses and depriving them of social rights such as National Insurance allocations. Until two and a half years ago, the Home Front was authorized to demolish homes of terrorists from East Jerusalem. This was stopped following the defense establishment's conclusion that the practice was ineffective and did not serve as a deterrent. Now Olmert and Barak intend to resume the practice. A senior government source said the defense establishment widely supported the move. Herzog said yesterday that he had decided to deprive the "bulldozer terrorist's" family of its survivor's alowance and burial fee. Olmert was briefed about the attack while he was in the Knesset plenum. He left a few minutes later for defense consultations and updates of the investigation into the attack. The prime minister said he was very concerned that the last two terror attacks were both carried out by East Jerusalemites who hold Israeli ID cards and can move easily around Israel. "This is terror to all intents and purposes," Olmert said. "We must respond swiftly and harshly to break this pattern. These things must not recur." Olmert added that Israel must take action to deter potential terrorists and make it clear to them and their families that "they could lose everything." Barak yesterday sent the defense establishment's legal adviser a letter saying that the terrorist's house must be demolished. "The recurrence of such a severe incident in such a short time... requires the government and defense establishment's immediate response. Demolishing houses has a deterring effect that conveys an unequivocal message about Israel's determination to fight this," Barak wrote. The legal basis to demolish a terrorist's house is regulation 119 in the Mandate-era emergency regulations, stipulating that a military commander may demolish any house, neighborhood or town, if a resident had perpetrated violence. During the second intifada the IDF demolished 270 houses. It stopped doing so after a defense establishment committee recommended at the beginning of 2005 to discontinue the practice, as its deterrence effect had not been established. Then-defense minister Shaul Mofaz adopted the recommendations. In January 2003 the High Court of Justice approved demolishing or sealing the homes of members of the Silwan terror unit, which was behind the murder of 35 people in several terror attacks, including those on Jerusalem's Moment cafe and Mount Scopus university campus. Although a few Palestinian groups claimed responsibility for the attacks, Public Security Minister Avi Dichter said the terrorist had no known affiliations with any militant groups. Later yesterday, five military vehicles gathered outside the family's two-story home in East Jerusalem. Police entered the home, interviewed relatives, took pictures and gathered evidence before leaving about an hour later. Eli Mizrahi, the Yasam mobile anti-terrorist patrol policeman who shot the terrorist point blank yesterday, said: "We received a report about a bulldozer speeding toward the center of the city and crushing vehicles and people on Jaffa Road." "I was with my partner Alex on Jaffa-King George. In seconds we arrived at the site. As soon as I got off my motorbike, I saw a number of crushed vehicles and people lying on the ground. I realized it was a terror attack, cocked my gun and headed for the bulldozer," he said. On his way he saw a soldier and a policeman also approaching the tractor. "As soon as I arrived the bulldozer started speeding toward Jaffa Road, trampling people and vehicles. I ran up the tractor steps, fired two more shots at him, and then he was neutralized," Mizrahi said. U.S. President George W. Bush spoke with Olmert and extended his condolences to the Israeli people over the day's murderous terrorist attack. The two men also discussed regional issues. Following the attack, Israel sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council asking it to condemn the act quickly and unconditionally.The letter was handed over to the Security Council president. Ambassador Dan Carmon, who wrote the letter, said "the Security Council failed to reach an agreement on denouncing the [recent] terror attack on Merkaz Harav in which eight youths were killed." Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski was quick to respond to Wednesday's attack, saying that terrorists were constantly coming up with new ways to harm Jerusalem. "My daughter was in the next bus, but she wasn't hurt," Lupolianski told reporters. "To our regret the attackers do not cease coming up with new ways to strike at the heart of the Jewish people here in Jerusalem." It was not initially clear of the perpetrator of Wednesday;s attack belonged to any Palestinian militant group, or whether he acted alone. Three Israelis were killed and dozens more wounded in the attack. Jerusalem residents Bat Sheva Unterman, 33; Elizabeth Goren-Friedman, 54; and Jean Raloy were killed. Unterman was a resident of Jerusalem's Rehavia neighborhood, and worked as a nanny in a religious kindergarten in the city's Har Homa quarter. She was killed when the car she was driving was crushed by the oncoming bulldozer. Unterman's six-month-old daughter, Efrat, was taken out of the car just before the vehicle was hit. Her husband, Ido, was notified only hours after the attack that his wife had been killed. Elizabeth Goren-Friedman, originally from Austria, was a resident of Katamon who worked as a teacher in a school for the blind. She was laid to rest at 10:30 P.M. in Givat Shaul. Goren-Friedman was divorced and the mother of three children: Yael, 16, Issachar, 19, and Zvi, 23. Her sons were students at the Horev hesder yeshiva in Jerusalem. Her friends described her as a "wonderful person," who volunteered regularly at the Hadassah University, Ein Kerem. Jean Raloy, an air-conditioner technician who lived in the Gilo neighborhood, was the third person killed in the terrorist's murder spree. His nephew said "the first thing with Jean was his family." Raloy, who was born in Iran, was married to Hanna and the father of two daughters and a son, and was to become a grandfather in about a month. (Yuval Azoulay, Shahar Ilan and Shlomo Shamir contributed to this report.) Bookmark to del.icio.us   Video attack West Bank settlers tie Palestinian man to phone pole and beat him. A static future Iran's nuclear program remains unchanged despite economic incentives.   1.   olmert all talk B.S. and no action 09:38  |  reuven 04/07/08   2.   THIS WAS NOT A TERRORIST ATTACK PEOPLE 13:13  |  B`Galil 05/07/08   3.   Who cares what you call it !!! 04:03  |  wordplay 06/07/08   4.   Bulldozer driver on downtown J`rusalem rampage leaves 3 dead, 80 06:08  |  martin list, m.d. 06/07/08   5.   wrong 10:26  |  Andreas 06/07/08

Read & React VIDEO: Settlers beat up bound Palestinian man Responses: 103 General Staff: Use force in response to Qassams Responses: 49 Gideon Levy: Israel prefers bombing Iran to peace with Arab world Responses: 42 Amnon Straschnov: Destroying terrorists' homes is counterproductive Responses: 27 ANALYSIS / Truce is a poker game, and both sides are bluffing Responses: 22 More Headlines 16:02 Officials: Gaza sniper shoots at Negev farmer 14:45 Report: U.S. fears Israeli strike won't take out Iran nukes 14:48 Former top Israeli diplomat reportedly says Syria ready to cut Iran ties 14:52 104 kg of uncut coke seized in Israel's largest drug bust 14:05 Tycoon Arcadi Gaydamak halts flow of cash to Israeli charities 14:59 Israel hands Hezbollah list of demands prior to swap 12:57 T.A. flat may hold key to holes in Kafka bio 15:57 Man charged with murder apparently shot the wrong man 13 times 14:18 Gov't engages in heated debate about Ramon wiretapping inquiry 13:30 General Staff: Use force in response to Qassams 15:16 Abbas, Assad discuss prospects of Fatah-Hamas reconciliation 13:28 ANALYSIS / Truce is a poker game, and both sides are bluffing 14:43 Doing business in Israel is tough, and only getting tougher 15:29 Man seriously hurt after falling from escalator at Modi'in mall Previous Editions Select Day 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul 01 jul 30 jun 29 jun 27 jun 26 jun 25 jun 24 jun 23 jun 22 jun

Special Offers Advertisement Dan Hotels Israel Live the Legend & experience an Unforgettable Summer Vacation Jerusalem of Gold Luxury apartments in Jerusalem's finest location Holyland Park Jerusalem Apartment Tower World Class Luxury In the heart of Tel-Aviv The Meier on Rothschild tower Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 Pardes Institute Summer Sessions http://www.pardes.org.il/ Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved