The horrific attack on students and staff in the Frank Sinatra building cafeteria at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, which took place on Wednesday, July 31st was perpetrated by a Hamas cell or terrorist from the Samaria (West Bank) area - where the IDF recently lifted the day-time curfew in major cities. Among the seven dead are five US citizens. One woman remains in highly critical condition in Hadassah hospital.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem campus on Mt. Scopus is a multi-cultural venue, with an intake of Jewish and Arab Israeli students, a School for Overseas Students, and an intensive summer Ulpan for foreign undergraduate and graduate students entering the academic system in the upcoming year.

Reverend Jesse Jackson, visiting Israel on a personal mission for peace, immediately cancelled his planned appointment with Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Yassin, after leaving a meeting with Yassir Arafat just moments before the attack occurred. Sheikh Yassin appeared later on television, acclaiming the bombing and saying that his people would continue the struggle against what he termed "Israeli terrorists"

Last night, a thousand or so Hamas supporters rallied to celebrate this massacre in Gaza city and there was a smaller demonstration in the Balata refugee camp. "The price of the Israeli crime to assassinate the leader Salah Shehadeh is more than 100 Israeli soldiers and that will come in 10 martyrs' operations (suicide attacks)," announced Izz-adin al Kassam, the Hamas military wing, whose military commander, Salah Shehadeh, was killed by Israel the previous week.

Salah Shehadeh, who planned deliberate terror attacks against innocent Israelis in cities and on the roads, was responsible for the death of over 200 of the almost 600 Israelis murdered by terrorists during the second Intifada. Several operations to target him were cancelled when it was found that he was taking refuge among the densely populated neighborhoods of Gaza city. This was Israel's prime consideration: not to cause innocent casualties and it endeavored to plan an operation, which met these criteria.

At a time when Israeli society has been hotly debating the issue of the innocent Palestinian civilians, who died in the Shehadeh killing, and the Israeli government has publicly regretted their accidental deaths, there can be no sharper contrast in attitudes and moral standards. There is certainly no parallel public debate on the value of Israeli lives inside the Palestinian camp, and only one public manifesto has been signed by public figures. The official Palestinian line is to condemn terrorist attacks, but there are no messages of restraint, and no enforcement of public order to prevent terrorist organization, or bring those responsible to justice.

More Points to Ponder

* Why would Hamas target Hebrew University, which has both Jewish and Arab student populations?

* What do the respective reactions of Israelis after the killing of civilians in Gaza City and those of Hamas supporters after the killing of students in Hebrew University say about both parties' desire for peace?

· Why is the American government not responding more strongly to the murder of American students?

· What can the ordinary person do to demand that governments to take more decisive action ?

* What reasonable steps can Israel take to prevent recurrence of attacks like this one?