It is a year since a terrorist walked into an Israeli hotel and blew himself up, killing 29 people and injuring some 200.
The bombing of the Park Hotel in Netanya took place on the first night of the Passover holiday as families gathered to join in the traditional seder religious service and meal.
Most of the dead were elderly people, many of whom lived on their own and had gone to the hotel seeking company.
Immediately after the attack, the Israeli armed forces launched Operation Defensive Shield.
The international community blasted Israel for entering Palestinian cities, but the results were remarkable; the arrests of hundreds of wanted Palestinian terrorists, particularly in Nablus and Jenin.
However, despite calls from the political right for the operation to be swift and harsh, including the full recapture of Palestinian-held areas, the Sharon government decided restrain was the preferred policy.
In the year since the Park Hotel bombing, 354 Israelis lost their lives and 1,351 were wounded in Palestinian terror attacks.
The Palestinian Authority has still not condemned outright the use of terror against Israeli civilians.
Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat has publicly condemned attacks on civilians but never specified a particular attack on Israelis – even when making the statement a few minutes after a major terror attack against an Israeli target.
It is this failure of Arafat which has led Israel and the United States to say that Arafat is irrelevant.
However, the Bush Administration says the upcoming appointment of Mahmoud ‘Abbas as Palestinian premier re-opens the door to peace talks.
But Israel maintains it will not sit with the Palestinians if they negotiate by day and fire by night.