Double explosion in Israeli port kills eight; Hamas/Fatah

[JohnLocke]

Double explosion in Israeli port kills eight, police blame Palestinian suicide attackers
by Paz Barr -- Associated Press
Sunday, March 14, 2004

Two suicide attackers exploded bombs at the Israeli seaport of Ashdod on Sunday, killing eight bystanders and wounding at least 18.
It was the first suicide attack at an Israeli seaport during more than three years of Israeli-Palestinian violence; 111 previous suicide attacks have killed at least 450 people.
Two of the bodies nearby were those of suicide bombers, police said. The force of the explosions threw some victims some distance from the scene, said rescue services spokesman Yerucham Mendola.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, and it was not clear where the bombers came from.
Ashdod is on the Mediterranean coast in the southern part of Israel, not far from the Gaza Strip. So far in the conflict, no Palestinian bombers have managed to leave the Gaza Strip -- which is surrounded by a security fence -- to attack Israel.
(...)
Read the rest here.
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At least eight people were killed Sunday in an apparent double suicide bombing at the Ashdod port.
Channel 2 reported that nine people were killed in the attacks.
A Magen David Adom spokesman said 16 people were wounded in the explosion, three of which were in critical condition.
Hamas and Fatah jointly took responsibility for the bombings on Al-Manar television in Lebanon, Channel 2 reported.
It was unclear how the bombers entered into the port's compound. An Ashdod municipal worker told Channel 2 that he "was shocked" that an attack could take place in the port since "it is well secured."
- Jerusalem Post
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Haaretz
Israel National News
BBC
Google News
DU LBN Thread
Ashod Port Website

(All other sources are mostly AP)

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Repaired link...

Suicide Bombers Suspected in Israeli Port Blasts

[Proudlib]

2. We Can Now Look Forward To

An endless barrage of Israel-bashing by the forum's supporters of the Palestinians who will look right past the latest senseless act of barbaric slaughter and keep the focus squarely on EVIL and awful Israel is.

[lefty_mcduff]

7. Not true.

And I guess you'll consider this post 'right on cue'. This is another viscous attack, with more innocent dead, carried out by thugs and murderers. My heart goes out to everybody that lost a loved one in this latest episode of ME violence.

Your comment regarding the 'supporters of the Palestinians' and looking 'past the latest act of barbaric slaughter' is nothing but bollocks.

Many, including myself, see a *direct connection* between this event and the 27 Palestinians that were killed in senseless violence by IDF forces *this week*. The Pro-Israeli people on the forum refuse to accept this connection, and that one drives the other. It then becomes a chicken-and-the-egg argument, *NOT* support of terrorists, or the cavalier attitude towards the death of innocent Israelis.

I have not read one post on this board that trivialized the deaths of Israelis (and if one was ever posted, I am sure it would be nuked PDQ). I have, however, read post after post of messages that celebrate the deaths of Palestinians (see recent threads regarding 'Arousal').

[number6]

17. Isn't that a little over the top ?

"An endless barrage of Israel-bashing by the forum's supporters of the Palestinians "

"who will look right past the latest senseless act of barbaric slaughter" oh really

[GabysPoppy]

3. Hamas & Al-Aqsa

Have claimed responsibility.

on edit: 9 dead reported - 7 humans & 2 animals

[Muddleoftheroad]

4. My heart goes out to the families of the slain

I can say one thing, I wouldn't be anywhere near as peaceable about this as Israel is. Most Americans wouldn't. I would have declared membership in a terror organization to be a capital crime and ANY Hamas, Hezbollah, etc. members captured would be executed.

[JohnLocke]

12. If this was happening here, Hamas would be annihilated.

[Muddleoftheroad]

15. Exactly

And I doubt if we would be neat about it. There wouldn't combat battles in Jenin because we would have blasted it from the air. As would MANY other nations.

[number6]

16. "And I doubt if we would be neat about it"

I see dead Palestinian children in the future.

[Muddleoftheroad]

29. I see dead Israelis in the present

And the Palestinians -- not their leaders and not the people -- refuse to take action to stop it.

[_Jumper_]

31. Blame the average Palestinian????

The PA is a dictatorship. How can you blame average Palestinians for its policies? Do you blame average Israelis for the occupation?

[Muddleoftheroad]

32. The average Palestinian

According to surveys, the average Palestinian both supports their government and supports terror.

[number6]

18. we haven't been able to annihilate Al-Queda yet, have we ?

..

[JohnLocke]

27. No, because of our stupid, corrupt president.

We need a Democrat who can fight these people.

[GabysPoppy]

28. Besides, *bush still needs a "bogeyman"

Without one he might have to defend his domestic policies.

[Proudlib]

5. And When...

Israel strikes back against the perpetrators of this crime, the progressive liberals here will denounce this latest unprovoked act of Israeli aggression, claim it will be a detriment to the peace process, mention Rachel Corrie somehow, and put the IDF that is fighting these barbarians on the same moral plane.

[GabysPoppy]

6. And of course

The two suicide bombers will be added to the list of Palestinian casualties of the week.

[number6]

23. Actually, I hope not, I'd rather have an honest list.

with only true Innocent by standers on it, for Palestinian
casualties

[GabysPoppy]

25. Then you will never see one

The lists that have been published included terrorists.

[number6]

26. too bad, they shouldn't be counted

they're their own "victims", rather than deaths caused by
Israels actions.

[lefty_mcduff]

8. See chicken-and-egg comment above.

Started already.

[Forkboy]

10. I hate progressive liberals

scumbags!

[Resistance]

22. exactly

[number6]

20. no, its how they strike back.

.

[Muddleoftheroad]

9. The solution for now

Is to complete the Peace Fence and wall off the Palestinians and not let ANY through for any reason.

[Forkboy]

11. This is simply not the answer

You can't explode your way to peace :mad:

[number6]

19. You can't explode your way to peace.

that's not the goal, its chaos and fear.

[Muddleoftheroad]

30. Tell that to Germany

And Japan, and Mexico and France and a host of nations that have lost wars and had peace imposed on them.

[CerealMurderer]

13. I appears the terrorists tried to blow up a Bromine tank (cheap WMD)

I'm sure these freedom fighters knew the poision gas would only harm IDF forces and not harm the innocent. Thank God they failed.

[Gimel]

14. They came from Gaza

Fatah and Iz a Din al-Kassam, the Hamas military wing, claimed joint responsibility for the attack in a statement to Hezbollah television station Al-Manar.

Al-Manar identified the two suicide bombers as Nabil Saoud and Mohammed Salem, both from the Jabalya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin said the bombings were "a response to the Israeli crimes against our people," and said attacks would continue until Israel withdraws from Gaza.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/404544.html

It seems Yassin has decided to take over Gaza after all. Now he wants to make it look as though he's chasing Israel out. That was anticipated. Security after withdrawal is all important.

This attack was the result of the unilateral withdrawal plan being discussed and proposed, not the result of Israel's counter activities (IDF). Terrorists must be apprehended. More action, not less by the IDF is needed.

[beanball]

21. Middle east peace

will come when who ever is in the white house tell the Israeli prime minister he must stop building homes on Palestinian land and move back to the 1967 borders.The UN should be the mediator for peace,not the USA,the entire world realize America can never be evenhanded,so we should step aside.The UN should station troops in the middle east to insure that both sides abide by the settlement.

[number6]

24. that would be one step forward

..

[Muddleoftheroad]

33. Never happen

Not only does the U.S. recognize ALL of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, but we are not about to let an ally and friend suffer from endless attack without our aid.

There's that and, of course, the 1967 borders are done. Accept it.

As for the UN, Israel can't trust them for good reason.