Political Response
It may take several days for the psychological and emotional blow from Thursday's terror attack to sink in, but the political reaction may be swift.
Israel is entering into Shabbat (the Sabbath) right now, so for Friday night and Saturday, things should be quiet. However, after the official ending of Shabbat you can expect a political storm.
It's likely the government will be under intense pressure to respond to this major terror attack. The ultra-Orthodox Shas party in particular may put pressure on the Olmert government to respond or threaten to leave the government. If Shas left Olmert's coalition, it could collapse if the prime minister can't find another party to join his government.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak will also be under pressure to respond in some way, not only to this terror attack but also to the incessant rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. He has political ambitions to be prime minister, and he can't be seen as failing in his current position.
Invasion of Gaza?
This might increase the pressure on the government to invade Gaza. One senior Israeli official and a ranking Knesset member told me today of the growing threat the Gaza Strip poses to Israel, and it's not just the daily rocket fire. It's the massive military build-up by Hamas.
In fact, one official said that within one or two years, Hamas might have rockets that can reach Tel Aviv, as well as anti-aircraft weapons. This build up is funded by Iran and is part of Iran's master plan in the region to establish a bridgehead through Hamas. This situation now poses a national security threat to the State of Israel.
Connecting the Terror Dots
It's important to realize that Thursday's shooting and the incessant rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip are not unrelated. The common denominator is that they are driven by the same Islamic ideology.
In effect, this is a war of extermination against the Jews. If you look at the charters of many of these Islamic groups, you'll find they want to eliminate the Jews. But while Israel is on the front lines, it's important to remember the whole Western world is in their sight.
The Vulnerability of Jerusalem
Thursday's attack exposed the vulnerability of Jerusalem. One lone gunman -- a former driver at this religious seminary -- killed eight and wounded many more.
While these kinds of attacks are planned and attempted on an almost daily basis, most of the time, Israel's security services stop them. The last major terror attack took place in February 2004. But this shows that one lone gunman can wreck havoc, ruin lives and put a nation on the brink of war.
In the meantime, several Jewish families will be sitting Shiv'ah, the seven-day Jewish period of mourning. They are grieving and the nation is grieving with them. It's a poignant and powerful time to be praying for the peace of Jerusalem.
By the way, following the attack, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem released the following statement:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 7, 2008
The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem utterly condemns the appalling terrorist attack on a landmark Jerusalem yeshiva on Thursday evening.
"Like the Passover Seder bombing in late March 2002, this despicable assault on students at a revered institute of Jewish learning, in the name of the Palestinian cause, has taken deliberate aim at sacred Jewish traditions," said Rev. Malcolm Hedding, ICEJ executive director.
"While Israel takes great care in keeping innocent civilians out of the conflict, these Arab terrorist elements take direct aim at them, having no regard for the weak, the unarmed and that which is holy to others," continued Hedding.
"We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost loves ones in this horrendous shooting massacre and pray for a speedy recovery of those wounded. We also want to reassure the people of Israel of our abiding support and concern as they struggle on against such callous terrorism amid a world that rarely understands the evil you face nor appreciates how gallantly you confront it," said Hedding.