Herzliya bomb

Tuesday, June 11, 2002

After a few worried phone calls this evening I realise that I was remiss in not letting you all know that DH is fine. The bombing in downtown Herzliya was not in the part of town he works in, it is nowhere near the industrial zone, and he didn't even hear the blast. We much appreciate the concern.

There is something personally ironic though about an attack in Herlziya today. You see early this morning I had a doctor's appointment in central Jerusalem. A couple of friends had invited me out last night, one to a dance performance in Tel Aviv, the other to a concert, also in the Tel Aviv area. I turned them both down, knowing I had an early start, not wanting to be out so late.

One of them tried to convince me to come, and when I protested that I needed to be in central Jerusalem early the next day she was suddenly shocked, "You're going to Jerusalem?" she exclaimed. "To central Jerusalem? Are you crazy, taking your life in your hands like that?!"

And today the bombers came to Herzliya, the part of the country this woman lives in. There is no way to know where the terrorists will strike next. I have long ago ceased trying to live my life second guessing them. It is an impossible, and generally futile task.

It has been another crazy day today lurching from one terrorist outrage to the next.

A Palestinian ran up to a traffic cop in Jerusalem and slit his throat, the officer somehow managing to let off a few shots at his attacker before collapsing. Thank God the policeman survived, but his condition is serious.

Later in the day a terrorist detonated a bomb near a bus transporting high school kids out cherry picking on a farm near Hebron. Three kids were seriously hurt.

Then this evening a bomber blew himself up in a Herzliya shwarma fast food joint, killing himself and wounding 15 Israelis. By midnight a 14-year-old girl had died of wounds sustained in the bombing.

Just another day in the life...