'The place was destroyed and there were body parts everywhere'
Hotel industry officials fear bombing may harm key tourist industry, already hit by Lebanon war last summer.
By Haaretz Service and AgenciesWitnesses at the site of the Monday suicide bombing in Eilat recounted scenes of blood-stained pavements, smoke and scattered body parts.
"We were sitting and drinking coffee some five meters from the site," said a local resident. "Suddenly we heard a large explosion and I immediately thought that it was a suicide bomber.
"When we went outside we saw that the place had been destroyed and there were body parts everywhere. The blast was in a popular bakery where people came to drink coffee and buy baguettes."
The blast tore through the "Lechamim" bakery in a residential neighborhood, far from the strip of beach-front hotels.
The attack caused television stations to break into programming with live coverage from the scene. The building was shown in tatters, the front windows blown into the street. Witnesses said body parts were strewn throughout the bakery.
Benny Mazgini, 45, said he was in an apartment across the street from the bakery when the building shook from the force of the blast.
When he ran outside, Mazgini said, he saw body parts scattered on the sidewalk.
"It was awful - there was smoke, pieces of flesh all over the place," he said.
He told Israel Radio that he saw "a man with a black coat and a bag. For Eilat, where it is hot, it is strange to see someone walking with a coat. I said to myself, 'Why is this idiot dressed that way?' Seconds later, I heard a huge blast. The building shook."
Tourism fears
Officials of the Eilat hotel and tourism industry fear that the Monday terror attack, the first suicide bombing in the resort city, could sap efforts to restore foreign tourism, already hit hard by cancellations in the aftermath of the Lebanon war last year.
Eilat, at the northern tip of the Red Sea, is popular with Israeli and foreign tourists and has been spared the violence of a more than six-year-long Palestinian uprising.
Shabi Shay, head of the Eilat Hotels Association, noted that the local tourist industry "finished the year 2006 extraordinarily well. Eilat saw nearly 50 percent of all the hotel stays in the entire country."
But the war had a telling effect on bookings for this year, he said. "The Lebanon war last year caused the cancellation of most of the charter flights to the city. As a result of that, the figures for foreign tourism were already low."
Shay said the bombing was unlikely to have an immediate impact, because January is traditionally a month of low occupancy.
However, he said, "We are working on the coming season, and there are many programs that are due to be revived, and this is our great apprehension, that foreign wholesalers may decide on the basis of what's happened, to reconsider their plans."
Shay said he hoped the effect of the bombing would be short-lived.
Asked what she would tell foreigners planning an Eilat vacation, Miri Eisin, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said: "In 2006, we prevented many suicide attacks, and we will continue to do so. It's safe to come to Israel, as it was in the past."
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Security forces at the scene of the suicide bombing in Eilat on Monday. (Reuters) |
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There are other places..but a lot of the "other places" are suffering from degradation of their coral coasts. Eilat still has a beautiful coral coastline. So, enjoy a "safe" vacation on a coral coastline that's dead. :)
War.... Good God... What is it good for? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! I stand with Isreal. I support Isreal. If need be, I will defend Isreal. My condolences go out to the families who have lost their loved ones. I wish you all a life of peace.
That's all. That's why I don't complain about Pals getting shot walking through openings or creeping up on their bellies. Israel can't afford to take a chance. This is what happens when someone plays Mr. Nice Guy. The Sneak Factor!
You are deluded jewgoy! the future of the region is only going to be one that is muslim free, and Israel or my own country isn't even going to have to lift a finger. The idiotic muslims will eliminate themselves.
BRAVO Bernard!!!
the POWER and the GLORY - Amen
Three young men, two married with children, went out one morning to bake bread. They were blown to smithereens by another young man who went out one morning to murder. The murderer's mother and family are PROUD of him. How did these innocent young bakers and their devasated families deserve this cruel fate? WHEN WHEN WHEN will the world unequivacally condemn those who murder instead of blaming those who are murdered? The only answer is to deliver a NON VIOLENT message. Show your support for good, condemn evil - in this case by taking your next holiday in Eilat.
Statistically speaking, far more Israelis die from traffic accidents than terrorism. It's time for law enforcement to do something about it. Allowing people to drive 120 km/h and over on the highways is unacceptable, and sadly, the police are doing it as well. (Why is everyone in such a rush to die these days?)
Suicide bombers were terrorizing Israeli citizens far before Israel launched an offensive in Lebanon, and you know that too. So wake up.
I've driven to Eilat 3 times since October... last time was 10 days ago. What I noticed was that the checkpoint security was far more relaxed this third time than the first two times.
When Israel quits using carpet bombs on Lebanon then suidice bombers will quit destroying your bakeries. Give up, Israel.
Israel continues to have one of the lowest crime rates of any developed nation in the world. Terrorism can and does occur everywhere. In Israel, visitors enjoy knowing that their rooms, wallets and children are safe both day and night. If, however, you really are trying to escape any place with human violence, may I suggest trying a trip to the moon?
"...there were body parts everywhere." But rest assured, Olmert will make sure that these body parts will always be Israeli, not Gaza, syria or Iran. If Gaza was still being bombed until shalit was returned they would only h have time to defend themselves, not to attack.
Deepest sympathy to the residents of Eilat and Israel. We need a smart intellectual and moral answer to the people who are incited by the spirit of anarchy. The destroyed body is a crime scene now. The head of the suicide killer was probably in one corner, and his arms in the other corners. He was desperate to inflict this crime on himself. His planners never had mercy for him. The old Soviet system was super guilty in partnering with the Palestinian anarchists. The Iranian clique stepped into their place now. Unfortunately, the shallow but extremist theologies of the Wahabbi/Sunni/Shia clerics and politicians are the tools of killing. Can the ordinary people wake up and reject the violence? Kaba, Islam, Allah, Yahweh etc. happened before Spinoza? There is no reason to stay blind, deaf and ignorant when the human spirit can be also reasonable, and free of aggression. The rest can be solved by legal and just agreements.
My heartfelt condolences to the families of all the victims, I wish you all long life. To the family of the bomber what can I say? I despair, and hope that you are not proud to have raised a monster, but sadly, I fear that you probably are. In the years to come I hope you will spend many hours considering how much richer your lives would be if your son was still a part of them and crying for your loss, as will the families of the innocent victims for their losses. Sadly, I fear that you probably will not.
Hamas and Fatah will keep fighting until one side caves in,this is the way they work. They have tried this way with Israel,but Israel will never cave in. These Barberians place no value on human life, that is why they can sacrifice all these youngsters. Can you immagine sending these youngsters to kill innocent civilians,knowing full well that they will die.What type of people are these? Mr Haniyeh and Mr Mazzen,why not take the place of these youngsters,or maybe you have not got the guts.
Why not try Bali? or London? or New York? Or are they "too violent" as well?
Still much more dangerous to ride a car in israel, then go to a bar or restaurant. dont worry!
Security in Eilat must now be stepped up another level. Both covert and visible. We'll still keep coming, but it is time to use the same level of stringency as in Tel Aviv, especially during peak season. This is something which must be above and beyond standard government messing about and inefficiencies. Just get on with it.
There has been no respite in attempts - only a reduction in "success". Great credit goes to the security forces and the physical barriers which have saved countless Israeli civilians from random murder. The delays and travel restrictions which such extra security imposes on the kinfolk of the murderers cannot legitimately be blamed on the defensive strategies, but on the Islamic Jihad/ Hamas terrorist leaders and their virgin-seekers.
In page 213 of his book "Palestine Peace Not Apartheid" , Carter condone terrorism until such a time a Palestinian state is achieved. At least you should now get into a plain meet Eilat families and apologize for your statmets.
"The cycle continues." The Palestinian terrorist organizations don't need any excuse to attack Israel and you know it. More probably theyre trying to show they're still around, in spite of the "fraternal" bloodshed in Gaza. Stop the BS.
The sun shines in Florida as well, and hate groups commit atrocities there all the time, but what does that have to do with Disneyworld. Three innocent people were killed only because they are Israelis, probably citizens of a democracy that struggles to maintain a moral standard, but at least it struggles. I don't think Florida is a good place to visit unless you want an example of greed and commercialization. So please, stay where you are, we'll be happy to have open minded people vacation here!
Another horror. The return of the suicide bombings. The cycle continues.
Spend another holiday in Bognor if you like. I'll be in Eilat soaking up the sun and drinking brightly coloured cocktails with the Red Sea lapping at my toes.
Hannah, the sun shines everywhere, and this time, I'll choose everywhere and not Eilat. Hatered comes in wholesale in the middleeast.
Its looks like islamic jihad? that would be also hamas? lama lo? I came usuly in north kineret - ein guev, I came also in south near eilat, and I came in center of Israel.I moved always in Israel when I crossed alone. But now with my wife, we have an interrogation?Where we'll go to be quiet in security...The answer is: go where you want and die where you should
The only thing that stops me from holidaying in Eilat is I cannot book holidays during the summer months and the high prices during the winter. However since we have so many friends in Eilat my wife and I now stay in Taba or Taba Heights and cross the border to visit our friends and to do our shopping. If whoever did this thinks that it will stop us from visiting our friends they are highly mistaken. To the families of the dead we wish them "A long life". To the people of Eilat "Be brave and don't let the b*st*rds get you down". To our friends in Eilat "We look forward to seeing you again later in the year".
There are other beaches in the world. Israel is too violent. Sorry.
Don't cancel your holidays! Spend Passover in Eilat! I'll be there in March, there's no way they'll stop me from claiming my week in the sun in my favourite Red Sea Resort!