Mofaz, Olmert face dilemma
Photo: AP
Defense officials mull response
Measured response expected to Tel Aviv attack; authorities do not wish to draw Hamas back into cycle of violence, no large-scale West Bank operation expected
Security officials are meeting Monday in a bid to formulate recommendations for Israel's response to the terror attack in Tel Aviv earlier in the day.
The timing of the attack, against the backdrop of Hamas' rise to power, and the attempt to prevent escalation, may limit the Israeli retaliation.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz convened a security meeting to discuss the issue and will present his recommendations to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in a meeting Tuesday morning.
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"It's not going to be a simple dilemma, to be ultimately decided on by political leader, on whether to 'break the rules' and retaliate harshly, or to intensify the existing efforts", a security official told Ynet.
The timing of the attack apparently poses complicated situation for officials: On one hand Monday's bombing is a serious, deadly attack that claimed the lives of nine people and as such cannot be dismissed. On the other hand, the attack occurred when the IDF, the Shin Bet, and the police are in the midst of ongoing operations against terrorists in the West Bank.
The investigation into the terror attack only began, and the leads to Jenin do not seem to surprise anyone. The IDF has been operating in Jenin and Nablus over the past few weeks in an effort to curb terrorist activity originating from the two West Bank towns. Dozens of wanted Islamic Jihad men were arrested in Jenin and Fatah members were arrested in Nablus, while explosives and terror labs were uncovered.
Immediately after the attack, senior IDF officers began a series of consultations. Chief of Staff Dan Halutz will hold discussions on Monday night to address the bombing. The IDF is apparently not considering a large scale operation in the West Bank, saying that IDF forces operate freely in the Palestinian cities and there is no need for a wide-scale operation.
At this time, characterized by Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz as "transitional period", there is a directive to exert pressure on terror organizations, to pursue them, but not to engage in conflicts that may draw Hamas back into the cycle of violence. According to estimates, operations in the northern West Bank will be boosted in the wake of the attack, with growing numbers of arrests to follow. Meanwhile, every Islamic Jihad member will be a target, whether in the West Bank or in the Gaza Strip.
Another option is to run pinpoint operations in every city in the West Bank to eradicate the terror cells there. According to security officials, any other option is unrealistic at this time
