June 4, 2001      13 Sivan 5761   Special Edition Number of young murder victims in Tel-Aviv bombing rises to 20; Additional 103 youth wounded in Friday night's suicide bombing at Tel-Aviv discotheque, most new olim. Diez (Dani) Normanov sisters Yulia and Yelena Nelimov Mariana Medvedeneko Raissa Nimrovsky Irena Osadchey Simona Rudin Ilana Guttman Anya Kachkova Uri Shachar Katrine Kastenyatza Alexai Luplow Roman Denashvili Liana Sakian Marina Barkovsky Irena Nepomnyashy Roman Gorochovsky Maria Tagilov Julia Skalianik Jan Bloom JEWISH AGENCY UNDERTAKES TO ASSIST FAMILIES MERIDOR: CONTINUED ALIYAH TO ISRAEL IS ZIONIST ANSWER TO ABOMINABLE MASSACRE According to Jewish Agency data, 820 olim from throughout the world are to arrive this week, 644 from the former Soviet Union. Until now, the Jewish Agency has not received word from any of this week's expected olim of their intention to cancel their aliyah to Israel. With news of the tragedy, the Jewish Agency launched a special effort to assist the families. Chairman Sallai Meridor, Treasurer Chaim Chesler and Director-General Aaron Abramovitch visied the hospitals and held emergency meetings on Saturday with Tel-Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, to coordinate joint efforts. By late Saturday night, the Jewish Agency's three delegations in the former Soviet Union, in Moscow, Kiev and Minsk, had opened information centers, to provide callers with information regarding their loved ones in Israel. It should be noted that some 3,000 olim from the former Soviet Union with no families in Israel are currently here, participants in Jewish Agency youth aliyah programs among them. The Jewish Agency encouraged them to call families abroad to ease their worries. The Jewish Agency simultaneously launched a campaign to locate family members of those killed or wounded by the terror bombing, to assist in their arrival to Israel. Jewish Agency Jerusalem and Center Region Director Eli Cohen reports that a staff of nine social workers and absorption center workers visited the wounded and the families of the murdered, to express solidarity and examine ways of providing assistance, especially in locating family members. The main effort is being directed toward olim from the former Soviet Union, since it has become clear that the vast majority of victims of this abdominal terror bombing, adolescents about to take final high-school examinations, are members of that group. The "Dolphi" discotheque, in the heart of the Tel-Aviv promenade, was a popular place for youth from the former Soviet Union. The innocent victims were mostly pupils preparing for matriculation exams, seeking a free evening of music and dancing to release tension. These are the names of those killed: Alexai Luplow z"l, 16; Anya Kachkova z"l, 16; Ilana Guttman z"l, 19; Irena Nafmaniashtsy z"l, 17; Irena Osadchey z"l, 18; Jan Bloom z"l, 25; Julia Skalianik z"l, 15; Katrine Kastenyatza z"l, 15; Liana Sakian z"l, 16; Maria Tegulog z"l, 14; Mariana Madbaneko z"l, 16; Marina Barkovsky z"l, 17; Raissa Nimrovsky z"l, 15; Roman Denashvili z"l, 20; Roman Gorochovsky z"l, 20; Simona Rudin z"l, 18; sisters Yulia z"l and Yelena Nelimov z"l, 16 and 18; and Uri Shachar z"l, 32; Diez (Dani) Normanov z"l, 21; May their memory be blessed. NEWS IN BRIEF: ARAFAT: IS THE GERMANS' DENUNCIATION OF THE HOLOCAUST FROM THE HEART? Fervent international political activity began immediately following the terrorist bombing, in an effort to exploit Arafat's fears of Israeli retaliation to attain a cease-fire. German Foreign Minister Ushka Fischer, in the middle of a visit to Israel, viewed the terrifying aftermath of the explosion from the window of his adjacent hotel. The next day, he laid a wreath at the scene of the massacre, departing for a meeting with Arafat in Ramallah, where he demanded that he immediately denounce terrorism "from the bottom of the heart". In response, Arafat responded: "And the Germans' denunciation of the Holocaust - Do you really want to tell me that it is from the bottom of the heart?" Fischer was astounded by Arafat's response and following some remarks Arafat declared a cease-fire. SHARON: RESTRAINT IS POWER Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Binyamin (Fuad) Ben-Eliezer resolved, in consultations over the weekend with the Security Cabinet, to delay Israeli retaliation for the time being, in order to examine Arafat's intentions, and since the heads of terror organizations in Gaza and the territories had taken precautionary measures to avoid any harm to their activities. The Government announced that retaliation will take place at the appropriate time and in the appropriate fashion, and that meanwhile it had been decided to dissect the West Bank into eight districts and to impose a closure to prevent Palestinians from entering Israeli territory. AMBASSADOR MARTIN INDYK: "U.S. STANDS BY YOU" Our shattered hearts are with the families and friends who are burying their loved ones", said U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk after the bombing. "We demand that Arafat stop the violence completely, unconditionally and immediately. We demand that he bring those responsible for these heinous crimes to justice. The United States will judge him according to his actions. The relations between the United States and Israel stand on the same basis. MOST OLIM: "INTIFADA STRENGTHENED OUR CONNECTION TO ISRAEL" A special survey conducted by Dr. Mina Tsemach for readers of the Yedioth Acharonoth daily newspaper after the terrorist bombing reveals that some 85% of immigrants from the former Soviet Union are glad they made aliyah to Israel. Sixty-nine percent responded that the events of the Intifada strengthen their connection to Israel. A survey conducted by the Palestinian Institute of Public Opinion in Beit Sachor reveals that in contrast, some 76% of Palestinians support suicide attacks, while only 12,5% oppose them.