Hillel Holds Vigil to Mourn 22 Dead In Tel Aviv Bombing

Harvard Hillel members conducted a vigil yesterday on the steps of Widener Library to mourn the victims of Wednesday's terrorist attack in Tel Aviv.

Flanked by two students supporting Israeli flags, Hillel chair Elie G. Kaunfer '95 opened the ceremony to a crowd of about one hundred people which more than doubled as the ceremonies progressed.

"We've come here today to mourn the dead soldiers too young to be soldiers," said Kaunfer of the terrorist attack which claimed the lives of twenty-two passengers riding a bus in central Tel Aviv.

Following Kaunfer's introduction, David Ganz '95 read a news release attributing Wednesday's massacre to the extremist anti-Israeli terrorist organization Hamas.

The bombing--which occurred on Dizingoff St., the city's commercial center--is the most recent of a series of terrorist attacks claimed by the group, including the recent kidnapping and slaying of an Israeli soldier. These events have occurred in stark contrast to recent triumphs by leaders Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin in promoting the Arab-Israeli peace process.

Students at the vigil read poems and prayers, gave speeches, and sang. During the 20 minute ceremony, passers-by stopped to listen until the crowd spilled into Tercentary Theatre.

One student read "In this summer of wide-open-eyed-hatred" by Israeli poet Yogadi Yanefan in both Hebrew and English translation.

Adi Krause '94-95, a Tel-Aviv native, brought a personal feeling to the ceremony as she described her reaction to the bombing.

"The reason I am speaking here today... is that this time it was just too close to home" Krause told the crowd.

"I know Dizingoff St. as well as most of you know Harvard Square," she said. "The bus blew up just a bus stop away from my grandmother's store... it was no more than sheer luck that she was O.K."

Krause said the bombing was particularly frightening because it happened in Israel's most commercial--and most secure--city.

"Tel Aviv is ... supposed to be the only haven of normal life in a country where the standards for normalcy have been steadily deteriorating," said Krause, who is a Crimson editor.

In her speech Krause also emphasized that victims' deaths must spur on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

In the final portion of the ceremony, the crowd was invited to join in the singing of Hatikfah, Israel's national anthem.

Students at the ceremony said the vigil was a necessary reaction to a extreme event. "I've cried more in the last two days than I can remember," Kaunfer said.

Harvard Associate Professor of Government Eva R. Bellin explained yesterday that the violence will escalate as the peace process becomes further and further finalized.

"Immediate cause for the escalating violence in the last few weeks is the diplomatic breakthroughs going on, like Rabin and Arafat's winning the Nobel peace prize," Bellin said.

Lecturer in Social Studies Martin Peretz said he has so far seen little remorse by the Palestinians regarding the event.

"I wonder when the agonized conscience which overtook Israel after the massacre in Hebron will be expressed among the Palestinians" said Peretz yesterday.

But Radi Annab '95, president of Harvard's Society of Arab Students, said it is important to distinguish between the Palestinian people and their leaders in the Palestine Liberation Organization and the tiny extremist group Hamas.

"The Palestine Liberation Organization is extremely hurt by Hamas," said Annab, adding that he spoke with Kaunfer last night and expressed his sympathy over the massacre

In her speech Krause also emphasized that victims' deaths must spur on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

In the final portion of the ceremony, the crowd was invited to join in the singing of Hatikfah, Israel's national anthem.

Students at the ceremony said the vigil was a necessary reaction to a extreme event. "I've cried more in the last two days than I can remember," Kaunfer said.

Harvard Associate Professor of Government Eva R. Bellin explained yesterday that the violence will escalate as the peace process becomes further and further finalized.

"Immediate cause for the escalating violence in the last few weeks is the diplomatic breakthroughs going on, like Rabin and Arafat's winning the Nobel peace prize," Bellin said.

Lecturer in Social Studies Martin Peretz said he has so far seen little remorse by the Palestinians regarding the event.

"I wonder when the agonized conscience which overtook Israel after the massacre in Hebron will be expressed among the Palestinians" said Peretz yesterday.

But Radi Annab '95, president of Harvard's Society of Arab Students, said it is important to distinguish between the Palestinian people and their leaders in the Palestine Liberation Organization and the tiny extremist group Hamas.

"The Palestine Liberation Organization is extremely hurt by Hamas," said Annab, adding that he spoke with Kaunfer last night and expressed his sympathy over the massacre