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Sanity now By Haaretz Editorial Tags: Israel, terror attack  The lethal bulldozer attack in the center of Jerusalem was a shocking incident by all standards. The overturning of a full city bus, the rescue of an infant on live television, the policewoman who opened fire, hit and paralyzed the bulldozer operator, the mob that threw stones at him and brought him back to murderous life, the shooting by policemen and a civilian, blood, screaming, orphans, bereavement, citizens in a continuously growing line of pain caused by the conflict. An attack by an Arab who holds a blue [Israeli] identity card, a resident of annexed territories whose people are not citizens but still benefit from the rights that their brethren beyond the wall and roadblocks do not, always stirs various severe reactions. The sense that this is a homegrown enemy shocks us. Hence the proposals for punishment and prevention are more hotheaded than ever. The Knesset voted yesterday on two bills drafted in response to the shooting attack at the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva, which was also carried out by a resident of East Jerusalem. The bills, which propose revoking the Israeli citizenship of anyone involved in terrorism and banning Israeli families from setting up mourners tents for relatives who participated in terrorist attacks, passed their preliminary readings. Deputy Attorney General Shai Nitzan held a special meeting on razing the homes of terrorists from Jerusalem. The prime minister added fuel to the fire when he asked to look into revoking the terrorist's family's National Insurance payments. Advertisement The response came sooner than expected. The National Insurance Institute director ordered the bulldozer driver's burial grant canceled, even though the law does not require this. The assumption is that someone will legislate this into law. The lack of logic and lack of control have reached such levels that it has already been said that Public Security Minister Avi Dichter will have to forego running for Kadima chair because he failed to cancel the press conference to declare his candidacy, which happened at the same time as the attack. Once more, the Israeli public responded to a terrorist attack with more insight and moderation than the cabinet and Knesset. As elections approach, the politicians are displaying an inability to restrain themselves, calm others and show there are security personnel whose job it is to handle such situations, and that they have been doing it quite successfully in recent years. One would have expected the defense minister to point out that, after a committee of experts evaluated the issue of razing terrorists' homes two years ago and concluded that it constitutes collective punishment, fails to prevent terrorism and may even encourage it, he does not believe there is a reason to destroy the family home of the terrorist from Sur Baher. One could have expected that the policy approved by the General Staff, the Shin Bet and the Defense Minister merely two years ago would not be overturned only in order to impress the public with excessive action, especially at a time when terrorist activity is relatively low. All these expectations, unfortunately, are not materializing. The family of the terrorist encourages hatred when it argues that the incident was merely a traffic accident that went out of control and ended in their son's murder, while the politicians are competing among themselves to propose the most severe punishment. 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.

Read & React Barak orders demolition of Jerusalem, yeshiva terrorists' homes Responses: 440 Mother of Kuntar victim: This monster will be a Lebanon hero Responses: 176 Peres: No chance of peace with Palestinians Responses: 231 Iran: Any attack on our nuclear facility will be beginning of war Responses: 323 Colombia hostage rescue: the Israeli angle Responses: 132 More Headlines 01:03 VIDEO: Settlers tie Palestinian man to phone pole and beat him 19:21 Iran: Our nuclear program remains unchanged 00:02 Dichter: Kadima's committment to public is to replace Olmert 19:17 Syria tells UN: Israel is burying nuclear waste in Golan Heights 21:22 IDF blockades W. Bank village after rallies against security fence 18:02 Hamas TV: U.S. bill to outlaw us aims at silencing free voices 00:11 Man rips off head of Hitler wax figure at new Berlin museum 04:10 Israel lobbies UN as Ban mulls appointment of new human rights chief 22:04 Barak slams Friedmann's call for probe into wiretapping in Ramon case 18:04 'Police called us smelly Bedouin, then they started to beat us' 20:59 Egypt uncovers three tunnels on border with Gaza strip 17:10 Syrian rights group: Islamist prisoners butchered in clash with warders 19:59 Barak orders demolition of Jerusalem, yeshiva terrorists' homes 14:33 Hamas vs. hummus: Guess who's on the loose in Middle East? 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

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