This was the slightly blurry photo of the Caterpillar scene in The Record, Kitchener-Waterloo’s newspaper, on July 3, two days’ after our return. It was the story of “a Palestinian labourer driving a construction vehicle” that “rammed into packed buses, tossed cars into the air and rolled over pedestrians in a deadly rampage yesterday that killed three people and wounded dozens in Jerusalem”.The article went on to say that “Israeli police said the assailant, a 30-year-old Palestinian from Arab East Jerusalem, apparently acted alone. Police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld said the man was working on a railway project in Jerusalem”.
“The attack was a departure from suicide bombings and shooting sprees. ‘To our regret the attackers do not cease coming up with new ways to strike at the heart of the Jewish people here in Jerusalem’, said Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski.”
The article continued describing the scene, quoting witnesses and identifying those who were either injured or killed. What a terrible event. How deplorable the injuries and loss of lives!
The following day, this article appeared:
"Israel ponders next move after vicious attack
JERUSALEM: A day after a Palestinian’s deadly rampage, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday called for reviving the practice of demolishing the homes of attackers’ families and the chief deputy proposed cutting off Jerusalem’s Arab neighbourhoods.”
After recapping the events, the article went on to say “As a resident of East Jerusalem, the attacker, Hussam Dwayat, 30, had freedom of movement around Israel. The attack brought calls to reconsider some of the benefits the 250,000 Palestinians in Jerusalem receive. “I think we have to be tougher in part of the measures that we take against terrorists, especially terrorists who are part of our internal fabric of life,’ Olmert said. ‘If we have to demolish houses, we will demolish houses. If we have to revoke social rights, we will revoke soaicl rights. It’s inconceivable that we are slaughtered and they will have all the privileges that our society grants our citizens.’
This prompted Donna to write the following Letter to the Editor (limit of 200 words) which was published on July 15 in The Record.
“It was with dismay that I read of the Palestinian labourer Hussam Dwayat’s deadly rampage in East Jerusalem.
Living in East Jerusalem for the past nine months, I learned how misinformed I had been about Israeli policies and propaganda. Whenever an incident occurs, the Israeli press release immediately conveys the impression that Israel is again being victimized, without accepting any responsibility for the actual causes.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert speaks of demolishing the home of the attacker’s family and revoking social rights and privileges to the Palestinians. What he doesn’t say is that they already demolish people’s homes on a regular basis in order to take over more Palestinian land in the West Bank. Palestinians are already second class citizens and are subject to daily restrictions of movement, inequalities before the law, and lack of privileges granted to Israeli citizens but denied to them. It is the daily stress from living under these conditions and lack of hope for improvements in the future that drive unstable and desperate people to commit such unspeakable acts.
If Israel truly wants its citizens to live in peace, it needs to cease its aggression and take the necessary steps to allow both nations to live in peace.”
O that it could be so!
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