By Donald H. Harrison

SAN DIEGO, Calif.—If Israel had the death penalty, Hamas commander Ibrahim Hamed should receive it, but as it does not, "he should be given life in prison without possibility of being exchanged," Linda Bennett, mother of a San Diegan  killed in 2002 in the bombing of the cafeteria at Hebrew University, said today.

Marla Bennett was one of five Americans who died in the July 22 explosion that Israeli authorities say was just one of four major bombings for which Hamed, West Bank commander of the Hamas military wing, was responsible.  The terrorist also masterminded the bombings of an Israeli fuel depot, Israel's rail system and a pool hall, according to an Associated Press report.  In total 78 people were killed in these attacks.

Besides Marla Bennett, 24, the American victims at Hebrew University included Benjamin Blutstein, 25, of Pennsylvania; Janis Coulter, 36, of New York; David Gritz of Massachusetts, and Dina Carter of Greensboro, N.C.

Hamed was captured Tuesday, May 23, by Israeli troops who surrounded the building in which he lived in Ramallah, about 200 yards from the home of  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.  They threatened to demolish the building with him still in it, unless he came out.  After the Israelis rammed the building hard enough to do some damage, Hamed emerged.  He was required to strip to his underwear to prove he was not wearing an explosive belt.

"I am glad he is off the street because it means he can't hurt any other innocent people," Linda Bennett told jewishsightseeing.com  "It took a while to get him, but as usual Israel did get him somewhere down the line.  I'm glad that he is going to be gone."

Asked if she would ever like to talk to Hamed in prison—as sometimes other families of victims do—Bennett responded she had no particular desire to do so, but might if the occasion arose.  "I guess basically the one question is why, how could he not know the people and do this to innocent people? How can he do this? Doesn't he have any reverence for human life?"

Bennett returned to San Diego two weeks ago from her second trip to Israel since Marla and the others were murdered at Hebrew University.  She was part of a United Jewish Communities mission that drew 208 San Diegans.  The mother visited the Hebrew University cafeteria as she did on her previous trip.  

Another emotional moment during the mission came on Yom HaZicharon, at the student village of Ibim in the Sha'ar Hanegev area, where a memorial was held for all the victims of warfare and terrorism. Sha'ar Hanegev is a partnership region for the United Jewish Federation of San Diego County, and there is a Marla Bennett memorial garden in Ibim.