An Arab citizen of Israel is believed to have been responsible for yesterday's suicide bombing outside the Nahariya train station, in which 3 Israelis were killed and over 90 injured. As investigators complete DNA testing to verify the bomber's identity, security sources expressed grave concern that additional Israeli Arabs would become involved in terrorist activities in the coming months. Yesterday's bombing was condemned by Israeli Arab officials and was followed by calls to outlaw the Islamic Movement in Israel.

Media analysts note the growing unrest within the Israeli Arab community in recent months, especially since the October 2000 riots that resulted in the deaths of 13 Israeli Arab citizens. Israeli Arab leaders and political representatives acknowledge that the past year's violence has embittered Arab citizens and radicalized some of them.

The Israel Security Agency (ISA) recently warned that the

"The terrorist acted on his own behalf and not in the name of a single person from this village." - Abu Snan council chairman Faouzi Mishlab

growing connection between the Israeli Islamic Movement and its Palestinian counterparts would lead to an increased involvement of Israeli Arabs in terrorist activities. Last week four Arab teenagers with Israeli citizenship from the Galilee town of Dir Hana were arrested by security forces and charged with planting a large bomb at the Golani junction.

Other cases sited by security officials include car-bombing attempts two years ago in Haifa and Tiberias in which three Israeli Arabs were killed when their explosives detonated prematurely. Recently two Israeli Arabs from Taibe were arrested on suspicion of cooperating with the Hizbullah. Israeli Channel Two television reported last week that Arab children in the Galilee town of Umm el Fahm are being taught in city mosques as part of a protest against insufficient Education Ministry funding, and are being indoctrinated with pro-Palestinian nationalist slogans and beliefs.

Police sources believe that the activities of the Islamic Movement prepare a fertile ground for the appearance of "wild weeds" such as suspected Nahariya suicide bomber Muhammad Shakher Havishi, 48, a resident of the Galilee village of Abu Snan and an activist in the movement.

Security officials reportedly believe that the recruitment of terrorists from among the Israeli Arab population is an important mission for Palestinian terrorist groups. Not only do Israeli Arabs carry Israeli identity cards and have freer access into Israeli cities, but the terrorists also hope to exploit their dual loyalty to the State of Israel and Palestinian nationalism.

Representatives of Israel Islamic Movement do not openly support terrorist activities, but do encourage "chasing the infidels out of the al-Aksa mosque." A major demonstration is planned this week in Umm el Fahm that will call for the liberation of Haram Al-Sharif, the Temple Mount.

Israeli Arabs condemn suicide bombing
"The terrorist acted on his own behalf and not in the name of a single person from this village," Abu Snan council chairman Faouzi Mishlab said yesterday, after learning that the Nahariya suicide bomber was a resident of the village.

Mishlab added that if Israel decided to destroy Havishi's home in Abu Snan, the villagers would understand. Village residents, a mix of Moslems, Druze and Christians, expressed the hope that the suicide bombing would not reflect badly on their intentions to remain law-abiding citizens of Israel.

The Arab monitoring committee issued a statement yesterday condemning all acts of violence against innocent people, Israelis and Palestinians alike. "We condemn the criminal attack against citizens in Nahariya," the statement said. "But we also emphasize that source of the cycle of bloodshed is in the occupation, and it will only be possible to end this cycle through real peace and justice and the removal of the occupation."

The spokesman for the Islamic Movement in Israel, Sheikh Hashem Abed al-Rahman, said, "The movement condemns the murder of innocent people." Al-Rahman said it was not proven that Havishi had been responsible for the terror attack and denied that Havishi had belonged to the Islamic Movement.

Israeli Arab Knesset members were quick to condemn the attack but cautioned against judging the entire Israeli Arab population based on the actions of one man. "We are opposed to attacks on civilians and view with gravity the involvement of an Israeli Arab in a suicide mission," said Mohammed Barakeh (Hadash).

MK Ahmed Tibi (Ta-al) said he "objects totally to such acts, which serve as ammunition in the hands of the right to incite against the Arab population." Knesset Member Azmi Bishara (Balad) announced his political and moral objection to the "killing of innocent civilians." MK Abdulmalik Dehamshe warned against depicting Israeli Arabs as a "fifth column" of internal opposition against the State.

Rightwing politician calls to outlaw Islamic Movement
Likud Knesset Member Yisrael Katz said that the Islamic Movement in Israel should be banned. "The Kahane movement was outlawed under the same clause that exists in the law, and that I now want to expand, to include supporters of terror and the Islamic Movement," Katz told Israel Radio yesterday. Katz also said that Israeli citizens who voice support of an armed Arab struggle against Israel should be barred from running for Knesset and called on the IDF to destroy the home of Havishi in Abu Snan.

"There is no difference between a terrorist from Gaza and a terrorist who is an Israeli citizen," charged Herut Knesset Member Michael Kleiner. "They are both motivated by the same hatred and the same goals and the only solution that we have is deterrence and not the building of another Maginot Line or Bar Lev Line that is destined to collapse."

President Moshe Katsav yesterday called on "all citizens who are acquainted with men of terror… to cast these murderers out from among us."

MK Ophir Pines-Paz warned against discrediting the entire Israeli Arab community in the wake of the attack. "One bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch," he said. Opposition leader Yossi Sarid (Meretz) said yesterday's terrorist attack "was very hard and depressing" but added that the fact that an Israeli Arab committed it was "an exception."

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