Posted 5:50 p.m. Dec. 12
By Jamie Meltzer
U-WIRE Washington Bureau
Israel recently bombed Palestinian complexes in an effort to eradicate terrorism. Though this fighting is taking place halfway around the world, many American residents feel the effects of the violence.
On Dec. 2, a suicide bomber boarded a bus and killed fifteen passengers in Haifa.
"My father's entire family is over in Israel," said John Nachum, a sophomore at George Washington University. "Right now, three of my cousins are in the army. My closest cousin, Tali, is working in Haifa, training her men to operate the United States' Humvees equipped with machine guns," said
Haifa was the site of two suicide bombings during the first week of December. On the first of the month, an explosion in a Jerusalem nightclub killed 10 people. Twelve hours later, a man armed with explosives boarded a bus in Haifa and detonated a bomb. A third suicide bombing occurred on Dec. 9 when an individual waited at a bus stop and set off explosives strapped to his body. No one was hurt in that incident.
The United States and other nations have put pressure on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to prevent future bombings.
"I do not think that anybody thinks that Arafat is behind the bombings or even profits from them," said Nathan J. Brown, a professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University. "But there seems to be a feeling that the Palestinians could take more in the way of preventive measures."
Some students found the frequency of the bombings shocking.
"It happens so often that you get desensitized," said Shira Dinar, a sophomore at GW.
Much of Dinar's extended family resides in Israel.
Dinar travels to visit her family in Rechovot, a town in the northern part of the country as often as she can. The recent suicide bombings will not affect her travel plans, she said.
"But its not like we are tourists and we are going to dangerous places. We just hang out in the neighborhood which makes it much different," Dinar said.
By Jamie Meltzer
U-WIRE Washington Bureau
Israel recently bombed Palestinian complexes in an effort to eradicate terrorism. Though this fighting is taking place halfway around the world, many American residents feel the effects of the violence.
On Dec. 2, a suicide bomber boarded a bus and killed fifteen passengers in Haifa.
"My father's entire family is over in Israel," said John Nachum, a sophomore at George Washington University. "Right now, three of my cousins are in the army. My closest cousin, Tali, is working in Haifa, training her men to operate the United States' Humvees equipped with machine guns," said
Haifa was the site of two suicide bombings during the first week of December. On the first of the month, an explosion in a Jerusalem nightclub killed 10 people. Twelve hours later, a man armed with explosives boarded a bus in Haifa and detonated a bomb. A third suicide bombing occurred on Dec. 9 when an individual waited at a bus stop and set off explosives strapped to his body. No one was hurt in that incident.
The United States and other nations have put pressure on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to prevent future bombings.
"I do not think that anybody thinks that Arafat is behind the bombings or even profits from them," said Nathan J. Brown, a professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University. "But there seems to be a feeling that the Palestinians could take more in the way of preventive measures."
Some students found the frequency of the bombings shocking.
"It happens so often that you get desensitized," said Shira Dinar, a sophomore at GW.
Much of Dinar's extended family resides in Israel.
Dinar travels to visit her family in Rechovot, a town in the northern part of the country as often as she can. The recent suicide bombings will not affect her travel plans, she said.
"But its not like we are tourists and we are going to dangerous places. We just hang out in the neighborhood which makes it much different," Dinar said.
