Qassam Rocket hits Sderot synagogue after Olmert visit*

Shortly after prime minister ends night visit to southern town with
Defense Minister Peretz, rocket hits synagogue just minutes after end of
celebration; a number of people suffer from shock

Ynet reporters
Published: 05.18.07, 00:12 / Israel News

At least three rockets landed in the southern town of Sderot at around
midnight Thursday, one of them hitting a synagogue just minutes after
the end of a celebration. A number of people suffered from shock and the
building was damaged.

The incident took place shortly after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert visited
Sderot and heard the Color Red alert system being activated. He was
rushed by his bodyguards to one of the houses in the city and later
visited the home of Defense Minister Amir Peretz.

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Moti Shitrit, an eyewitness who lives near the synagogue, told Ynet that
about 300 people had gathered there in order to bring a Torah scroll
into the local synagogue. Luckily, the event ended minutes before the
rocket landed there and most worshippers left the place. A few people
remained behind to tidy up the synagogue.

"We were saved by luck. If people had not gone home, many would have
been killed here. God rescued us," he said.

During Olmert and Peretz's visit, a Qassam barrage landed in the area.
More than 20 rockets landed in the western Negev since Thursday morning.
The defense minister invited the prime minister for coffee at his house,
where Olmert met Peretz's wife and two of his children.

The prime minister and defense minister visited one of the houses hit on
Thursday. The two also met with Sderot Mayor Eli Moyal, who accompanied
them during the visit. Knesset Member Otniel Schneller (Kadima) also
took part in the visit.

'The prime minister is a coward'

Olmert spoke to Avi Farhan, a resident of Sderot who had been evacuated
from Sinai and moved to the city. When the surprised prime minister
noticed Farhan, he asked him what he was doing there. Farhan responded,
"I live here in Sderot. I moved here after we were uprooted from (the
Gaza settlement of) Elei Sinai."

Farhan described to Olmert how the residents were dealing with the
Qassam attacks. "We are experiencing non-stop shooting and the IDF must
act and respond. The residents here must be assisted not only in dealing
with the shooting but also by rehabilitating them, both physically and
emotionally."

Following this conversation, Olmert asked the director-general of his
office to schedule a personal meeting for himself and Farhan at his office.

Olmert and Peretz examine rocket damages (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom, GPO)

Arieh Cohen, a Sderot resident, arrived at Peretz's home. After he was
denied entrance by Olmert's bodyguards, he shouted, "The prime minister
is a coward. You came like a thief in the night with all your bodyguards.

"What I'm doing is not provocation. I want to talk to you. Only
yesterday night missiles flew over my head. I want to hear the prime
minister giving me answers. We keep on hearing you and you don’t let us
voice our opinions. Entering Peretz's house. Peretz's is a bigger coward
than you are, living in a fortified house while we don’t even have
shelters."

In spite of the rocket barrages, most Sderot residents remained in the
city. According to unofficial estimates, between 2,500 to 3,000 people
(out of 23,000 residents) have left the southern town so far.

Most of those who left were aided by billionaire Arcadi Gaydamak, about
800 were helped by the Defense Ministry and the Sderot Municipality, and
the rest left on their own.

Yael Branovsky, Shmulik Hadad and Ronny Sofer contributed to the report