Jerusalem bombing brings Aussie condemnation
AUSTRALIAN Jews have rallied in the wake of Jerusalem’s first major terrorist attack in more than five years.
AUSTRALIAN Jews have rallied in the wake of Jerusalem’s first major terrorist attack in more than five years. The bombing, across the street from the Jerusalem International Convention Centre (Binyanei Ha’uma) in the country’s capital, exploded next to a bus stop, killing a British student and injuring around 50 people.
The Australian Government was quick to condemn the fatal attack, expressing concern for the escalation of violence in Israel in recent weeks.
“The Australian Government extends its condolences to the friends and families of those killed and injured, and calls for the perpetrators to be quickly brought to justice,” a joint statement from Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s and Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd’s offices read. “Terrorism of this kind is a cowardly and brutal act for which there can be no justification.”
The Government also expressed condolences for the “civilians killed in Gaza in attacks by Israeli forces”.
Speaking on behalf of the president, Executive Council of Australian Jewry executive director Peter Wertheim extended “deepest sympathy and support for the people and the Government of Israel” in the wake of the attack.
“The fact that the attack comes hard on the heels of the murder of five members of the Fogel family in Itamar, and an alarming increase in rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza in recent days, is a cause for concern for Jewish people everywhere,” Wertheim said in a letter to Israeli Ambassador to Australia Yuval Rotem.
Similarly, Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) president Philip Chester expressed concern for the recent escalation in violence.
“The Palestinians should realise after the Second Intifada that their attempts to again terrorise the Israeli population to achieve their political ends will not succeed, and are, in fact, counter-productive as Israelis, and indeed the whole Jewish world, will exhibit even greater solidarity in the face of this violence,” he said.
Security was immediately upgraded and itineraries reviewed for participants on MASA Israel programs, particularly in the Jerusalem area. Authorised by the Education Department of the Israeli Government, and informed by the Israeli military and police, security for all programs is provided by a centralised centre.
“In situations such as last night’s tragic incident, the security centre would have provided guidance to programs as to the curfew guidelines and restrictions on group movements, and of course head counts of each group,” ZFA Israel Programs coordinator Brendan Bensky explained last week. “Over the coming period, as always, the security centre will continue to provide guidance and restriction based on the threat information that they are aware of.”
DALIA SABLE
Photo: JTA
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