OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, 5 October 2003 — A Palestinian woman blew herself up in a crowded restaurant in Haifa yesterday, killing19 bystanders. At least 55 people, including Maccabi Haifa coach Ronnie Levy and two other senior club officials, were wounded in the attack on the Maxim Restaurant, co-owned by Arabs and Jews.
Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the bombing. The attack was carried out by 18-year-old Hanadi Tayssir Jaradat from Jenin, a Jihad spokesman said.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called his advisers for an emergency meeting to weigh a response. On Sept. 11, the Israeli Cabinet decided to “remove” Arafat, implying expulsion or assassination, but did not say at the time when it would take action.
Sharon has hinted that Israel might act against Arafat in response to an attack with many casualties. However, the United States opposes expelling Arafat and Israel’s security chiefs are divided on the issue. Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz have the final say. They do not need Cabinet approval for deciding to take action against Arafat. Mofaz has spoken in favor of expulsion.
Israeli Health Minister Dan Naveh said Israel must not hesitate. “This awful attack today is definitely an opportunity, the correct opportunity, to implement the Cabinet decision to get rid of Arafat,” he said. “It is clear to all of us that he is the biggest obstacle to reach better days.”
Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Ahmed Qorei condemned the blast and urged militants to halt all attacks on civilians. His government is obliged to rein in the militants under a stalled US-backed peace road map.
Jonathan Peled, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, demanded actions not words from the Palestinian Authority. “That (appeal) is too little and too late,” he said. “We have had enough of declarations and denunciations. We need action.”
The explosion went off shortly after 2 p.m. at Maxim Restaurant, near a major junction at the southern entrance to Haifa.
A motorist, identified only as Navon, said he was at the junction when he heard the blast, and rushed to the scene where he saw smoke and blown-out windows. “There were not a lot of wounded, just a lot of people strewn on the ground. There was nothing to do, no way to help them,” he said, adding that several children were among the dead.
Police said the woman bomber and 19 bystanders were killed.
