It could happen anywhere

On Thursday afternoon, events at Mumbai Chabad House took a dramatic turn. Indian security forces, in a strategy reminiscent of Russian operations in the face of similar kidnappings, are not allotting time to negotiate with the terrorists. Against a challenge of these proportions, the Indians opted to immediately storm the target sites, even at the price of the lives of hostages. Israel has traditionally handled hostage situations differently. Frequent use of negotiations has not led to surrender to terrorist demands, but to their weakening, and the acquisition of valuable intelligence for rescue units.

In the Mumbai hotels, the scenario was very different. Elite Indian commando forces battled dozens of hostage-takers in urban territory with the bodies of the victims lying on hallway floors. But at Chabad House, maybe because it was a smaller site, the Indians opted to delay storming the building8230;As far as Israel is concerned, the terror attacks were preceded only by vague alerts of possible attacks on Israeli targets in India.

From a comment by Amos Harel in Tel Aviv8217;s 8216;Ha8217;aretz8217;