Mideast situation/Yagur Junction attack – Letter from Israel

Letter dated 10 April 2002 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Israel

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I wish to draw your attention to the latest incident in the ongoing campaign of Palestinian terrorism directed against the citizens of Israel.

At approximately 7.15 a.m. (local time) this morning, a Palestinian suicide bomber detonated powerful explosive charges aboard a public bus near the Yagur Junction in northern Israel, south of the city of Haifa. According to witnesses, the blast caused the bus to fly several metres into the air and tore a large hole through the top and front of the vehicle. The terrorist packed the bomb with nails and ball bearings to increase the lethality of the charge and the pain and suffering of the victims. At this time, we know that 8 Israelis have been killed and at least 17 others wounded. The terrorist organization Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.

This attack is the latest incident in the campaign of Palestinian terrorism that has been detailed in my letters dated 26 March 2002, 18 March 2002 (A/56/880-S/2002/293), 14 March 2002 (A/56/876-S/2002/280), 11 March 2002 (A/56/867-S/2002/257), 8 March 2002 (A/56/864-S/2002/252), 5 March 2002 (A/56/857-S/2002/233), 4 March 2002 (A/56/854-S/2002/222), 27 February 2002 (A/56/843-S/2002/208), 20 February 2002 (A/56/828-S/2002/185), 19 February 2002 (A/56/824-S/2002/174), 11 February 2002 (A/56/819-S/2002/164), 8 February 2002 (A/56/814-S/2002/155), 28 January 2002 (A/56/798-S/2002/126), 22 January 2002 (A/56/788-S/2002/104), 18 January 2002 (A/56/781-S/2002/86), 16 January 2002 (A/56/774-S/2002/73), 11 January 2002 (A/56/771-S/2002/47), 4 January 2002 (A/56/766-S/2002/25), 13 December 2001 (A/56/706-S/2001/1198), dated 4 December 2001 (A/56/678-S/2001/1150), 30 November 2001 (A/56/670-S/2001/1141), 28 November 2001 (A/56/668-S/2001/1133), 27 November 2001 (A/56/663-S/2001/1121), 12 November 2001 (A/56/617-S/2001/1071), 5 November 2001 (A/56/604-S/2001/1048), 24 October 2001 (A/54/406-S/2001/1011), 19 October 2001 (A/56/492-S/2001/990), 17 October 2001 (A/56/483-S/2001/975), 8 October 2001 (A/56/450-S/2001/948), 5 October 2001 (A/56/444-S/2001/943), 3 October 2001 (A/56/438-S/2001/938), 24 September 2001 (A/56/406-S/2001/907), 20 September 2001 (A/56/386-S/2001/892), 17 September 2001 (A/56/367-S/2001/875), 7 September 2001 (A/56/346-S/2001/858), 4 September 2001 (A/56/331-S/2001/840), 30 August 2001 (A/56/325-S/2001/834), 27 August 2001 (A/56/324-S/2001/825), 13 August 2001 (A/56/294-S/2001/787), 9 August 2001 (A/56/272-S/2001/768), 27 July 2001 (A/56/225-S/2001/743), 26 July 2001 (A/56/223-S/2001/737), 17 July 2001 (A/56/201-S/2001/706), 13 July 2001 (A/56/184-S/2001/696), 3 July 2001 (A/56/138-S/2001/662), 21 June 2001 (A/56/119-S/2001/619), 19 June 2001 (A/56/98-S/2001/611), 18 June 2001 (A/56/97-S/2001/604), 13 June 2001 (A/56/92-S/2001/585), 11 June 2001 (A/56/91-S/2001/580), 4 June 2001 (A/56/85-S/2001/555), 30 May 2001 (A/56/81-S/2001/540), 25 May 2001 (A/56/80-S/2001/524), 18 May 2001 (A/56/78-S/2001/506), 11 May 2001 (A/56/72-S/2001/473), 9 May 2001 (A/56/69-S/2001/459), 1 May 2001 (A/55/924-S/2001/435), 23 April 2001 (A/55/910-S/2001/396), 16 April 2001 (A/55/901-S/2001/364), 28 March 2001 (A/55/863-S/2001/291), 27 March 2001 (A/55/860-S/2001/280), 26 March 2001 (A/55/858-S/2001/278), 19 March 2001 (A/55/842-S/2001/244), 5 March 2001 (A/55/821-S/2001/193), 2 March 2001 (A/55/819-S/2001/187), 14 February 2001 (A/55/787-S/2001/137), 13 February 2001 (A/55/781-S/2001/132), 2 February 2001 (A/55/762-S/2001/103), 25 January 2001 (A/55/748-S/2001/81), 23 January 2001 (A/55/742-S/2001/71), 28 December 2000 (A/55/719-S/2000/1252), 22 November 2000 (A/55/641-S/2000/1114), 20 November 2000 (A/55/634-S/2000/1108) and 2 November 2000 (A/55/540-S/2000/1065).

Today’s attack serves to reinforce the necessity for Israeli withdrawal to be implemented within the full context of resolution 1402 (2002) — including a meaningful ceasefire, reciprocal Palestinian steps to end terrorism and incitement, and full cooperation with General Zinni’s proposals for the implementation of Tenet and Mitchell, which the Palestinian side has yet to accept. Absent these other crucial elements, Israeli withdrawal alone will not lead to the series of steps culminating in a return to a peaceful political process, as envisaged by the Security Council.

Even as the international community has undertaken intensive efforts to reduce tensions in the region, Palestinian terrorists continue to seek ways to attack Israeli civilians. Only concerted action by Israeli security forces has prevented the number of deadly terrorist attacks from rising to even higher levels. It should be recalled that these actions were undertaken only after a series of deadly Palestinian suicide attacks that claimed the lives of scores of innocent Israeli men, women and children.

Even more disturbing is the continuing role of the Palestinian leadership in inciting violence among the population and providing terrorist organizations with the logistical and financial support they need to carry out attacks. Materials discovered in the Ramallah compound of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat clearly document the extent of collusion between Palestinian Authority officials, including the Chairman himself, and known terrorists and terrorist organizations. These materials were discovered amidst a slew of deadly weaponry that is illegal for the Palestinian Authority to possess under signed agreements reached with Israel. Even today, Chairman Arafat speaks not of peace and reconciliation, but of his aspiration to “martyrdom”. For these reasons, we hold Chairman Arafat and the Palestinian Authority fully responsible for the continuation of terrorist attacks against Israel.

At this critical moment, it is more important than ever for the international community to express its complete and total rejection of Palestinian suicidal terrorism, in light of the threat it poses not only to Israeli lives and our hopes for peace in the region, but also to the entire civilized world. Those who would countenance such abhorrent methods must hear from a unified and resolute world that these tactics will not advance their cause, nor will it lead to the capitulation of their victims.

I should be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of this letter circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 166, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Aaron Jacob

Chargé d’affaires a.i.

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