FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 23, 2011

This morning, an explosive device detonated at a central Jerusalem bus stop, wounding at least 25 and leaving at least three in serious condition. One woman has died from her injuries. As of this moment, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Israeli authorities suspect that Palestinian militants planted the device. The terrorist attack would mark the first within Jerusalem in several years.

The past few weeks underscore Israel’s unique security concerns. On March 11, five members of the Fogel family—including three children, one of whom was an infant—were brutally massacred in Itamar. Four days later, the Israeli naval forces intercepted a ship carrying thousands of weapons sent by Iran earmarked for Hezbollah in Syria and Hamas in Gaza. And four days after that, Hamas launched over 50 mortar shells into Israel. In addition to this morning’s bombing, Hamas fired two grad-type Katyusha rockets along with mortar shells into Be’er Sheva.

Recent events only serve as a roadblock to reaching a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Nevertheless, Israel remains anxious for peace. Now she just needs a partner. As former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin once said, “We will negotiate as if there were no terrorism, and fight the terrorists as if there were no negotiations.”

LionPAC would like to encourage everyone to keep those wounded in today’s attacks in their thoughts and prayers in the coming days.

We will continue to provide updates as more details emerge.

By Michael Shapiro

President, LionPAC