ANALYSIS / Timing of second Jerusalem bulldozer attack was amazing

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.

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.

	Security forces at the scene of the bulldozer attack in Jerusalem on Tuesday. (AP)