AWFUL

And doesn't solve anything.

HAIFA, Israel, Oct. 4 -- At least 19 people were killed today when a suspected Palestinian suicide bomber set off an explosion inside a landmark beachfront restaurant packed with a lunch crowd at the start of a long holiday weekend, according to Israeli police, who said they believe the bomber was a woman.

The bombing at the Maxim restaurant, which is co-owned by Arab and Jewish families, renewed debate among Israeli officials over whether to expel Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and underscored questions about the effectiveness of a fence Israel is building to separate the West Bank and Israel. The northwestern section of the fence east of Haifa has been completed.

"The view you see here is very horrifying," said Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav, standing several yards from the gutted restaurant, which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea on the edge of this northern Israeli port city. "This restaurant was a microcosm of Haifa society -- Jews, Christians and Arabs worked together in this restaurant for many years. The suicide bomber tried to jeopardize the co-existence we've worked so hard to build up."

The bombing, which injured at least 50 people, was the fourth in Haifa since the Palestinian uprising against Israel began three years ago. Fifteen people died in a bombing at the Matza restaurant in the city 18 months ago, and 32 people were killed in two separate bus attacks, the most recent six months ago.

"The restaurant was full," Col. Danny Kuffler, northern district commander of the Israeli National Police said describing today's attack. "The bomber passed the security guard at the entrance, went inside, turned on the explosive device and all the restaurant exploded."

"It's a very major disaster," he said. "We're still counting bodies. I saw some families that lost two or three people."

What in the world does this accomplish? Every day, I wait for one side in this conflict to be the bigger side and rise above the endless cycle of violence and retaliatory violence. I'm still waiting.

That said, I am highly skeptical of the idea that expelling (or even martyring) Arafat is going to help the situation; I don't think he has much control over many of these acts. Besides, Arafat is, for the most part, a secular nationalist, while Islamic Jihad is, well, not a secular organization. And also, this even should underscore to Israel the fact that their security fence has little to no chance of curbing attacks but is likely to incite even more, especially considering the fence was built hundreds of feet on the Palestinian side of the official border, consituting a devious land-grab.

Nevertheless, when attacks are aimed at centers of cooperation, that makes me really upset. All relevant parties must condemn this.