Tel Aviv nightclub bombing draws ire - of Palestinians

[igloo]

Tel Aviv nightclub bombing draws ire - of Palestinians

BY CONAL URQUHART

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

March 1, 2005

DEIR AL GHUSUN, West Bank -- Scores of chairs lined the rooms and corridors of the Badran home. Jugs of coffee and water and trays of figs were placed on the table to welcome men paying their respects to the family of Abdullah Badran, the 21-year-old who blew himself up at the entrance to a Tel Aviv nightclub on Friday, killing five Israelis.

But the crowds did not come and, in an almost unprecedented departure from routine practice, the family was left to mourn its "martyr" without fanfare.

For seven days after a burial, Palestinian families receive mourners at home or in a tent, the women separate from the men. It is normally a major social event, with crowds that can swell to hundreds of people, including the mourners' large extended families, neighbors and friends. There are colorful banners and loud, patriotic music.

Yesterday, villagers passed the Badran house without entering. Seven relatives, including the bomber's 80-year-old father, sat amid the mostly empty chairs where the men had gathered. Asked whether Badran's death had achieved anything, they all shook their heads.

Badran's brother Ibrahim, 40, said the whole family is mystified and angered by the death. "I really do not know what was on his mind. Maybe he was thinking about the killing of Palestinians in recent weeks, the building of the wall, the lack of good will from the Israelis in the political progress. He wanted to be a teacher, to get married and get a home. He seemed optimistic in spite of everything. It never occurred to any of us that he would blow himself up," he said.

Deir al Ghusun is a hill town of 8,000 people, a maze of steep, narrow and winding roads. The flags of militant groups fly from many buildings, but none near the Badran house of mourning.

One resident, Sami Qadan, 65, said the whole town was angry about the bombing and, in protest, few were paying respects to the family. "Things were getting better and then, no sooner do we have money coming in again than it is stopped by this suicide bombing. This intifada has killed us, and the wall has destroyed us. We cannot even leave our homes and we want it to stop," he said. Six of his sons work as builders in Israel, but were told Sunday no one could cross their town's checkpoint.

Badran, who was studying Arabic literature at a university in Tulkarem, was last seen by his family Friday at breakfast. "He ate his food and drank his tea. We didn't ask where he was going. ... There was nothing in him to suggest that he had no plans to return," said his brother. The family realized something was wrong only when Israelis arrived in 10 army jeeps at 5 a.m. Saturday and told them Badran had killed himself and four victims (a fifth died yesterday).

Badran's father refused to believe them. "He's still in his bed," he told them. The army arrested two of Badran's brothers, five of his friends and the local imam. All are still in custody. Fortunately for the family, Israel says it no longer destroys suicide bombers' homes.

The Badrans said they don't know how security officials knew so much about the 21-year-old's life and friends. "They know things before they happen," said Ibrahim Badran. He said the family had never suffered any particular grievance at the hands of the Israelis, although he was detained for 18 months without trial in 1989.

The townspeople have lost much of their livelihood from Israel's building of a barrier that cuts them off from 825 acres of farmland - a barrier Israel says protects its people from militants. In theory, the land can be accessed through a gate, but it is rarely opened, and the Israelis already have started chopping down trees there. Despite this, the seven mourners say they all voted for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and share his hope for peace through negotiations.

Ibrahim Badran said the family is extremely angry with whoever prepared his brother for his suicide. "I want to send these people a message," he said. "I don't know who they are, but we want them to stop this and reach out their hands for peace. That is the only way the situation will improve."

[dnice35]

what was that dick head thinking. it just takes on dumb rotten towel head to ruin it for the rest.

[chris817]

Its about time the palenstein people are starting to realize that this is doing nothing to help their cause.

Maybe with this thinking against terrorism things can change

[g420]

Nothing is changing, Israel just the other day found a car loaded with explosives & an Israeli security patrol was fired upon. This supposed "ceasefire" is only serving in the arabs favor, it is giving them time to re-arm & plan more attacks.