Second Bulldozer Attack In Jerusalem [Updated]

From YNetNews.com

Bulldozer driver a relative of Hamas lawmaker

Man who carried out Jerusalem attack named as Ghasan Abu-Tir of east Jerusalem. His relative, Palestinian Parliament member Muhammad Abu-Tir, is jailed in Israel

Palestinian sources in Jerusalem reported Tuesday that the man who carried out the bulldozer attack on Jerusalem's King David Street was Ghasan Abu-Tir, 22, of the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Umm Tuba.

Abbas adds a nice touch. He was at a meeting with Peres during the attack:

"We always oppose terror incidents," said Abbas at the end of the meeting, "and we call out against such incidents. We pray for the injured people's recovery."

That's quite a balancing act Abbas has there--praising terrorists like Samir Kuntar while 'always opposing terror incidents.' What kind of condemnation would Abbas have issued if he did not have Peres standing next to him?

David Hazony observes:

It is always the second hit that causes the harshest response. In June 2006, the soldier Gilad Shalit was kidnapped by Hamas, but it was only when Hizbollah repeated the trick a few weeks later, kidnapping Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, that Israel unleashed its army on southern Lebanon. The first hit, one figures, might just be a one-off. The second represents a new strategic reality.

Israel will respond now to tractor terror because it has to. When the problem was coming from terror organizations across the border, the answer was war. But now it looks like copycat terror coming from individual Arabs who no longer need bomb belts to do their work. This time, the answer will likely come in the form of much harsher restrictions on access to heavy equipment. A lot of people will either be out of work or need to go through careful security checks. Construction in Jerusalem may be temporarily halted. The biggest victim, as with other terror, will be the population that produces these monsters and encourages them, and in so doing positions itself as an enemy of the society that pays for its infrastructure, schools, and welfare.

Israel will be painted as the racist oppressor, yet again, for the simple reason that it does not have the luxury of putting PR before personal security. But the Arab community in Israel needs to take some responsibility for its own bad apples. They can start by dumping their current political leadership and electing officials who support Israel and the country’s efforts to live a safe life. Any new clarifications on Jerusalem, Barack?

Seems that the Arab and Israeli communities have something in common.

UPDATE: Remember how the first attack was right outside of where the media was staying? Now McClatchy reports:

Hours before Sen. Barack Obama was scheduled to arrive in Jerusalem, a Palestinian construction worker went on a rampage outside the hotel where he is scheduled to stay.

[Hat tip: Hot Air Headlines]

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

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