FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 2,
2003

25 JERUSALEM BUS PASSENGERS TO FILE HIGH COURT PETITION TO ENSURE THAT THE
ISRAELI AIR FORCE CONTINUES TARGETED KILLINGS

Twenty five residents of Jerusalem who rely upon public transportation,
including buses, have sent a letter this morning to the Commander of the
Israeli Air Force, Dan Chalutz, demanding that the policy of "targeted
killings" of terrorist continue. In addition, the letter insists that Air
Force pilots utilize appropriate size armaments to effectively carry out
their missions.

The bus passengers are represented by Shurat HaDin - Israel Law Center
Director Nitsana Darshan-Leitner.

In the letter, the bus passengers wrote that the campaign in certain
quarters of the Israeli population to stop the "targeted killings," has
caused a dangerous erosion in the abilities of the Air Force to fight and in
its determination to vigilantly safeguard the lives of Israeli citizens by
engaging in these acts of preventive self-defense. The letter's authors
stated that recently the Air Force began to use smaller missiles than were
required in order to avoid harming local Palestinian residents who might be
in close proximity to terrorist targets. As a result, the fugitive
terrorists succeeded in escaping and the crucial goal of preventing terror
attacks by eliminating the leaders and bomb makers has been defeated. The
tragic price that Israeli bus passengers have had to pay for these missed
opportunities is in the further murdering of hundreds and the injuring of
thousands in terror attacks.

In their letter to Commander Dan Chalutz, they write: "Even the strongest
oak cannot always remain steadfast in the face of a storm. Unfortunately,
if in the past the Air Force utilized everything within its powers to carry
out the targeted killing missions, and even employed one ton bombs, today
you avoid using the appropriate armaments in order not to harm Palestinian
residents. As a result, Israeli residents are paying the tragic cost of
this policy with their lives.

"The Israeli Air Force should focus exclusively upon the lives and safety of
Israeli citizens. The well being of Palestinian residents cannot be
considered when the safety of Israeli citizens is at stake. Morally, the
Israeli Air Force owes its paramount duty to the citizens of our State not
the enemy."

The bus passengers have threatened that they will take the matter to the
High Court of Justice if the Air Force does not confirm that it will
continue the policy of "targeted killings."

For More Information:
(Israel) 972-8-973-3336
(US) 212-591-0073
info@israellawcenter.org