Update: Arafat gives Powell a "bomb salute" in Jerusalem - Powell flies by

Aaron Lerner Date: 12 April 2002

Less than 24 hours before his scheduled meeting, Yasser Arafat gave US
Secretary of State Collin Powell a "bomb salute" - when a suicide bomber
exploded - destroying a bus at a bus stop in the heart of Jerusalem near the
Machaneh Yehuda market murdering at least 6.

Israel Television Channel Two just broadcast the film showing US Secretary
of State Powell and Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer at the helicopter
pad within 400 meters of the explosion. They were about to fly north to see
the situation on the northern border.

At Ben Eliezer's instruction, the helicopter hovered over the bombed bus so
that Powell could get a close view of the destruction.

Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert happened to be buying bread at a bakery right
next to the explosion. He told reporters that he would like to take Powell
to the hospital to visit the wounded.

Yasser Arafat's Al Aqsa Brigade has already taken "credit" for the attack.

It remains unclear if this will have any effect on Secretary of State Powell
's plans to meet with Yasser Arafat and the terrorists who Arafat is
protecting in his Ramallah office.

One possibility is that Powell may announce that he sincerely hopes Arafat
makes it possible for them to meet but that as Secretary of State he is not
able to come to the office when there are terrorists there. Powell could
note however that this is a problem Arafat could readily resolve in a few
minutes.

This is the second bus to be attacked by suicide bombers since Israel
started to pull out of cities in response to pressure from the Bush
Administration.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director
IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-5480092
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
pager 03-610666 subscriber 4811
Website: http://www.imra.org.il