On Tuesday morning, four commercial airlines were hijacked in
the United States: two planes of American Airlines and two of
United Airlines. They were commercial flights full of
passengers. Two crashed into the World Trade Center,
collapsing both 110 story towers. A third crashed into the
Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and the fourth crashed in western
Pennsylvania. Hundreds -- perhaps thousands -- lost their
lives in a vicious, cruel, mindless spasm of destruction.
The first plane carved a gaping hole in the twin tower
building and black smoke billowed from it. Eighteen minutes
later, a second plane again flew directly into the Trade
Center, causing a second huge explosion.
President George Bush said that two planes had crashed into
the World Trade Center in an "apparent terrorist attack" and
that the "full resources" of the federal government would go
to help the victims and their families and to carry out an
investigation. "Terrorism will not stand," he said, concluding
his brief initial remarks.
According to the BBC the attacks were the work of the
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. However DFLP
sources denied involvement. Others suggested that the only
organization with the resources to mount such a series of
attacks is that of Osama Bin Laden.
There is no doubt that these events have caused a major trauma
in the United States, and great changes are likely in its
attitudes to many issues, especially with regard to terror.
Palestinians across the West Bank celebrated the series of
aircraft attacks on New York and Washington. There were scenes
of celebration in the West Bank cities of Nablus, Tul Karm,
Bethlehem and the Balata refugee camp. While Palestinian
Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat condemned the attacks,
hundreds of Palestinians distributed sweets in Nablus.
Several dozen Palestinian youths gathered in East Jerusalem to
celebrate as well, honking out wedding tunes on their car
horns. "We are so happy that America was hit. America is
against us in supporting Israel," Suleiman, one of the
demonstrators, said.
Meanwhile, sound trucks plied the streets of Jerusalem sent
out by rabbonim to call the Jewish residents to the botei
knesset to pray and say Tehillim for the victims.
Many thousands throughout Israel extended their evening
prayers with extra Tehillim and others came specially
to join in sober prayer.
May the year and its curses end . . . the year and its
blessings begin.
