The View from Here by Barry Shaw

2003 - A Year in the Death of Israelis

This month-by-month review encapsulates only the tip of the Palestinian terror iceberg during the last year.

January:
Elderly man stoned to death by Palestinians in Jordan Valley.
2 bombers kill 23 in a tel Aviv pedestrian mall.
2 Palestinians kill father of four in moshav near Afula.
Soldier killed by terrorists by Egyptian border.
Palestinian kills father of 5 at Shabbat dinner table, daughter and guests wounded.
3 soldiers killed near Hebron by Palestinian.

February:
I.D.F. officer shot and killed in Bethlehem.
Soldier shot in the back and killed by Palestinian sniper near Gaza.

March:
Bus bomber kills 15 and injured dozens on Haifa bus.
Two Palestinians kill couple at their Shabbat dinner table.
20 year old soldier killed in Hebron ambush.
Paratrooper killed in gun battle with terrorists.
Israeli motorist shot dead near Jenin.

April:
Terror attack in Tel Aviv kills 3 and injures 50.
One killed and 14 injured in suicide bombing at Kfar Saba train station.
I.D.F. photographer killed by Palestinian gunfire at Rafah refugee camp.
3 killed by infiltrating Palestinian at Karni crossing.
Palestinian kills 2 soldiers, wound 9, at Jordan Valley army base.

May:
3 killed and 70 wounded by Palestinian woman at Afula shopping mall.
8 killed and 20 injured in Jerusalem bus bombing.
Couple killed by Palestinian gunman in Hebron.
Man killed by Palestinian gunfire on his way to work.
Father killed, daughter injured, in the car.
6 Palestinian suicide attacks, 4 rocket and mortar attacks, in May.

June:
Bezeq technician shot to death by 15 year old Palestinian.
Two rockets fired at Sderot.
US-born man killed, parents and wife injured, by Palestinian gunfire near Ofra.
Moshav grocer killed by Palestinian bomber.
7 year old girl killed by Palestinian.
22 year old killed and 2 women injured.
Netanya man killed by Palestinians.
22 killed and 100 wounded in Jerusalem by Palestinian dressed as a haredi Jew.
5 soldiers killed by Palestinian infiltrators near Erez.

July:
Missing solider found murdered near Arab village.
Man stabbed to death.
Woman killed in her home by Palestinian.

August:
Man killed, pregnant wife seriously wounded.
Teenager killed by Palestinian.
Commando killed at Hamas bomb factory.

September:
Baby killed on Rosh HaShana.
3 soldiers killed in separate ambushes.
7 killed, dozens wounded, in Jerusalem coffee shop bombing.
Suicide bomber kills 9 soldiers at bus stop.

October:
3 killed in ambush.
22 killed in Haifa restaurant bombing.

November:
2 guards killed near security fence.
Female tourist killed at Akaba-Eilat border.
2 soldiers killed at roadblock.

December:
Bomber kills 3 women and a man at a Tel Aviv bus stop.

It would be bad enough if this list covers all the terror attacks perpetrated against Israel by Palestinians. Alas, it only personifies the thousands of terror attacks, suicide bombings, rocket and mortar shellings, shootings, stonings, knifing incidents, car bombings, explosions, suffered by Israelis through 2003.

Palestinian society thrives on a culture of incitement and hatred. The whole of its community lives and breathes a fanaticism and passion to destroy Israel and kill Jews. Those who do not actively engage in terrorism support those that do.

If Palestinian energies and monies that pour into murder and mayhem would be channeled into social services and building a modern society they would find Israel to be a willing neighbour with open borders giving them employment, medical assistance, commercial and industrial development. Israel, instead, has become a country that is forced to produce the antibodies against the negative forces that are constantly bombarding and attacking it. Just as a body only produces antibodies when negative germs are formed and attack, so Israel is forced to produce the antibodies to protect and defend itself. These antibodies include the controversial security fence which has already saved many lives.

The frenzy of such attacks peaked in March 2002 with seventeen successful suicide bombings. Since then, and due to the brilliance and bravery of Israel's unsung heroes in intelligence, secret agents, the I.D.F., the police, and the construction of the security fence, more attempts have been foiled than those that have succeeded. In 2003, twenty three suicide bombers got through to their targets and wreaked their death and destruction. However, one hundred and eighty one failed, or were foiled, due to the vigilance of Israel's defenders. Tireless efforts by Israel's intelligence agents and military, the ongoing construction of the security fence, proper international pressure on the Palestinian Authority, prevention of support by neighbouring states to local terror groups, will all help to reduce the effectiveness of Palestinian terror.

Israelis do not have any realistic hopes that Palestinian society will reform itself, or put an end to the terror and destructive policies. So, Israelis will continue to display their remarkable fortitute in 2004. Hopefully fewer Israelis will be murdered, despite all the passionate ambitions of the Palestinians to see Israel destroyed.