Arutz Sheva March 14, 2004

Ten people were murdered today (Sunday) when two terrorists detonated explosives in a port facility in Ashdod. The terrorists, who were residents of Gaza, killed themselves in an attempt to carry out a \x{2018}mega-attack\x{2019} that would have released deadly chemicals into the port city.

One of the terrorists made his way into the port\x{2019}s inner workshop and blew himself up at 4:30 PM. Soon after the first explosion, the second terrorist detonated his explosive vest outside the fence of the port compound. A port official told Israel Radio that it was a miracle the blasts did not rupture a bromide tank and cause an even greater catastrophe.

Dror Lichter, the Lachish district Magen David Adom Commander, reports that his emergency response teams treated a total of 16 wounded. Three of the wounded were in serious condition. The remainder suffered from moderate and light injuries. The victims were transported to Barzalai, Kaplan, and Tel HaShomer Hospitals.

Proponents of the partition wall have always pointed to a security border dividing Gaza from the rest of Israel as a model for the positive role that fences could play in preventing suicide bombings within Israel\x{2019}s pre-1967 borders. This afternoon\x{2019}s double suicide bombing may bring such thinking to an end since police report that both attackers reached Ashdod from Gaza.

Southern Region Police Chief Moshe Karadi said that the bombers were using a different type of explosives from the kind usual used in such attacks and may have been trying to detonate the tanks of bromide and other dangerous chemicals stored in the port, in order to cause a far greater number of casualties. “It may be that they accidentally detonated themselves prematurely, before they reached the intended target,” Karadi said.

Port worker Sami Pinto told Army Radio that when he entered the port area he saw smoke rising from the site of both explosions. One explosion took place near the perimeter fence of the facility while the second was from a workshop inside the port. “Five bodies of our workers were on the ground and two more were outside the fence, “said Pinto in an interview shortly after the attack. “One of our workers who was lightly injured told me that the terrorist came in and asked for water. The second he showed him where the tap was he blew himself up,” Pinto said.

Angry responses emanated from the Knesset, at what is viewed as an attempt to significantly escalate the magnitude of terror attacks. \x{201C}This is not a step up for terror but a quantum leap,” said MK Ehud Yatom (Likud), a former intelligence officer. “It must be considered as serious as an attack on Ben Gurion Airport, a fuel terminal or any other strategic target.” Yatom blamed the Gaza retreat plan for encouraging such attacks. He called for the plan to be shelved and instead for the IDF to be allowed to wage an unrelenting war on the P.A. terrorist infrastructure.

MK Yuri Stern (National Union) said that “talk about a withdrawal has turned Israel into the weakest link in the global war on terrorism. We must retake the initiative and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure if we are to prevent unprecedented casualties.”

MK Danny Ben-Loulou (Likud), who lives in Ashdod, said, “The attack proves the disengagement plan is a prize for terrorists. Even the sea cannot stop the waves of terror that are now washing up on our shores.”

Tourism Minister Benny Elon (National Union) warned that a withdrawal from Gaza would result in such attacks becoming commonplace. \x{201C}He who retreats from Gaza, Gaza will follow him,\x{201D} said Elon.

MK Yehiel Hazan (Likud) said, “It is no longer possible to silence the IDF Chief-of-Staff and the head of the Security Service. The prime minister is coming up against reality, which shows that his plans are only encouraging terrorists. Their increasingly daring attempts show that unilateral withdrawal is the way to perdition. Israel must wipe out all the terrorists’ leaders.”

The Prime Minister\x{2019}s Office announced that tomorrow\x{2019}s meeting between Israeli and PA officials, as well as the meeting scheduled for Tuesday between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, has been cancelled in light of the attacks.

Israel Television Channel Two Arab Affairs Correspondent Ehud Yaari emphasized in his report that the announcement from Fatah which was released after the attack termed Ashdod as \x{2018}occupied territory\x{2019}. This marks a change in the terminology typically used by Arafat’s Fatah organization when referring to targets within Israel\x{2019}s pre-1967 borders. The announcement noted that while the suicide bombers were from the Jabalya slums in the Gaza Strip, this was just a \x{2018} refugee camp\x{2019} as their true home was the, “Palestinian town that is now Israeli-occupied Ashdod.”

According to Al-Manar Hizbullah TV, the bombers were dispatched by Hamas as well as Fatah\x{2019}s Al-Aksa Brigade. Al-Manar identified the two terrorists as Nabil Saoud and Mohammed Salem, both 17, and in the 11th grade in the Jabalya slums in Gaza.

The following are emergency hotline information numbers pertinent to the double suicide bombing attacks in the Port of Ashdod.

Kaplan Hospital - 12-55-181

Tel HaShomer Hospital - 12-55-131

Ashdod Municipality - 08-854-5493

Barzalai Hospital \x{2013} 12-55-171

Ashdod Information Number \x{2013} 12-55-085-106

This entry was posted on Monday, March 15th, 2004 and is filed under hotnews.