Olmert orders ministers to consider destroying attacker's Jerusalem home

Date: 02 / 07 / 2008 Time: 18:20
Bethlehem – Ma'an –

Immediately after a Palestinian man plowed a massive construction vehicle into a bus in West Jerusalem on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered his government to look into the legality of destroying the home of the bulldozer driver's home in East Jerusalem.

Olmert also told Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog, and Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann, to consider revoking National Insurance Institute stipends from the terrorist's family.

Israeli media reported that the ministers are to examine the legal ramifications of both orders and report back later on Wednesday.

Four people, including the attacker, were killed in the rampage, which left a bus overturned and a number of cars flattened.

Israeli government officials and media were quick to label the incident a "terrorist attack," but the attacker's motives are not known.

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter confirmed that the attacker was Husam Tayseer Dwayat. Dichter said the man was not linked to any Palestinian armed group.

One self-proclaimed militant group based inside Israel, Ahrar Al-Jalil, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Jerusalem Mayor responds to this afternoon's attack

Wednesday July 02, 2008 15:56 by Taylor Bray - IMEMC News

After this afternoon’s attack in Jerusalem by a Palestinian man driving a bulldozer and killing at least three Israelis and injuring about 30 more, the Jerusalem Mayor responded in his own way.

“My daughter was in the next bus, but she wasn't hurt," Lupolianski told reporters. "To our regret the attackers do not cease coming up with new ways to strike at the heart of the Jewish people here in Jerusalem."

Along with the Jerusalem Mayor, the Deputy Prime Minister and Shas Chairman Eli Yishai also responded to the attack, stating, “Israel should demolish the home of the perpetrator's family.
If the perpetrator was an Israeli citizen, the law must be changed so that when an Israeli Arab carries out an attack his citizenship is revoked and he is deported,” Yishai stated.

The Shas leader added that even with the attack, he still wants the talks over the release of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli Soldier who was taken captive in June 2006, to carry on.

MK Arieh Eldad of the radical National Union party said, "the families of those killed and the wounded know that the ones responsible for the attack are the members of Israel's government, who "stopped fighting terrorism."

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