Two suicide bombing attacks by Islamic militants in Israel over the weekend followed by the severe responses on the part of the Israeli government have dashed hopes for bringing the Mideast peace process back to life in the near future. The horrific attacks have brought the situation to a head.
On Sunday night, two Islamic militants blew themselves up at a Jerusalem nightspot, killing 10 people, most of them teenagers, and wounding more than 150 people. Hours later, another Palestinian suicide bomber detonated nail-studded explosives on a bus, killing 15 people. Separately, the shooting death of an Israeli settler brought the weekend toll to 26 killed and nearly 200 injured. Hamas, the extreme Islamic group that has rejected any peace with Israel, took credit for all of the killings. As the attacks took place as the new U.S. special envoy, Mr. Anthony Zinni, visited Israel, they were clearly designed to send a message.
The attacks were condemned by governments around the world. Even Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat expressed his outrage, but his words had little effect; his condemnation was followed by the second suicide bombing and the shooting.