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Suicide Bombers Strike Twice in Israel
31 minutes ago
By JASON KEYSER and MATTHEW ROSENBERG, Associated Press Writers
JERUSALEM - Twin suicide bombings killed at least 13 people and wounded at least 45 in Israel on Tuesday — striking a bus stop crowded with Israeli soldiers in a Tel Aviv suburb and then a cafe in a Jewish neighborhood of Jerusalem. The attacks underscored the collapse of U.S.-backed peace efforts.
There have been about 100 suicide bombings against Israelis over the last three years, but rarely have two attacks been carried out on the same day. Both bombers also died in Tuesday's blasts, which happened about 5 1/2 hours apart.
There was no claim of responsibility for either attack. But Hamas praised both bombings and dozens celebrated in the Gaza Strip (news - web sites), firing assault rifles into the air. The Islamic militant group had been expected to avenge Israel's attempt on the life of its spiritual leader on Saturday.
Earlier Tuesday, Israeli troops in the West Bank city of Hebron killed two Hamas members and a 12-year-old bystander and exploded a seven-story apartment building where the militants had been hiding.
The violence came amid political uncertainty after the resignation of the Palestinian prime minister, with an increasing number of Israeli officials calling for the expulsion of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (news - web sites).
Israeli government spokesman Avi Pazner said after the first suicide attack that "the responsibility is shared between the organization that carried out the atrocity and the Palestinian Authority (news - web sites) that did nothing to prevent it, and Israel will react accordingly."
Ahmed Qureia, whom Arafat has asked to become Palestinian prime minister, said: "We express our regrets and pain for the innocent lives (lost) as a result of violence and counter-violence. Such an act stresses once again the necessity that both the Palestinian and Israeli leadership ... search for ways to end this killing."
U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, speaking after the first bombing, said the attack "underscores the urgency with which the Palestinian Authority needs to take immediate and effective steps to dismantle and disarm the terrorist capabilities."
The bombers struck while Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) was visiting India. Militants have often carried out attacks during Sharon's trips — occasionally causing him to return. A senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sharon's India tour would continue.
The second suicide attack took place about 11:20 p.m. Tuesday, when a bomber struck at the popular Cafe Hillel on a strip with many restaurants and small shops. Ambulances rushed to the residential German Colony area of Jewish west Jerusalem, and workers carried away the wounded on stretchers.
At least six people were killed in addition to the bomber and more than 30 were wounded, according to the Magen David Adom rescue service.
Police said the bomber managed to get into the cafe even though two security guards were posted at the entrance — one inside the door and one outside.
Jerusalem police commander Mickey Levy told Israel Radio one guard tried to stop the attacker, and that he then set off the bomb.
"I have a store next to the cafe. I arrived just a few moments after the blast. I saw things that just can't be described, there are no words," said a witness who identified himself only as Shavi.
After the bombing, hundreds of people milled about near the cafe's shattered front windows. One body lay at the cafe's entrance covered in a white blanket; the street was strewn with glass.
A supporting column inside the cafe was splattered with blood.
The blast set off the alarms of dozens of parked cars. Police broke car windows to check for bombs.
Police cordoned off the area while rescue workers treated sobbing victims, and a dazed, wounded man sat on the street, holding a bloody T-shirt to his head.
The first attack, in Rishon Letzion, took place about 6 p.m. The bomber walked up to a bus stop crowded with Israeli soldiers and set off the devise as the servicemen were waiting for rides home outside the Tsrifin army base.
Seven people were killed in addition to the bomber, police said. Fifteen people were being treated at the hospital, all but one of them soldiers, spokeswoman Nurit Nehemia said. Others were treated for minor injuries and released.
Cpl. Eyal Schneider, 20, was walking toward the bus stop when he heard the explosion and saw a fireball. "People were running from the bus stop shouting 'Bomb! Bomb!' " he said.
Ambulances lined up at the scene and rescue workers rushed to aid screaming victims.
"I saw the bodies, the body parts strewn around, heard the screams, and tried to help," said one witness, who gave his name only as Roy.
Hours later, the aluminum walls of the bus shelter remained splattered with blood.
The White House denounced the attacks.
"We condemn this act of terrorism and extend our condolences to loved ones of those killed or injured," said White House deputy press secretary Claire Buchan, traveling with President Bush (news - web sites) in Jacksonville, Fla.
Qureia has not yet formally accepted Arafat's offer of the prime minister's post. The offer came after Mahmoud Abbas resigned as premier on Saturday, frustrated with four months in office in which he wrangled with Arafat and failed to persuade Israel to ease security measures imposed on Palestinians.
Qureia — a former top peace negotiator — has sought guarantees that if he accepts the post, Israel would do more to implement its obligations under the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan. Israel has not frozen settlement-building or withdrawn from most Palestinian towns, saying the Palestinians must first dismantle militant groups.
A senior Israeli official said on condition of anonymity that Qureia's terms were not acceptable.
Israeli officials had hoped dealing with Abbas might succeed in sidelining Arafat, whom they accuse of fomenting terrorism. And Israeli leaders have been cautious about Qureia as prime minister.
"We will judge any Palestinian prime minister by his actions," Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said. "He will have to decide whether he stands with Arafat or whether he stands against terrorism. His first step must be to make the strategic decision to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism."
Qureia said he will "not be under an Israeli dictate" but reiterated that the Palestinians are "committed to the road map" — a blueprint for ending violence and establishing a Palestinian state by 2005.
He and other Palestinian leaders accuse the Israelis of making the situation worse by carrying out airstrikes against Hamas militants following last month's bus bombing in Jerusalem that killed 22 people.
The Israeli strikes have killed 12 Hamas members and five bystanders.
31 minutes ago
By JASON KEYSER and MATTHEW ROSENBERG, Associated Press Writers
JERUSALEM - Twin suicide bombings killed at least 13 people and wounded at least 45 in Israel on Tuesday — striking a bus stop crowded with Israeli soldiers in a Tel Aviv suburb and then a cafe in a Jewish neighborhood of Jerusalem. The attacks underscored the collapse of U.S.-backed peace efforts.
There have been about 100 suicide bombings against Israelis over the last three years, but rarely have two attacks been carried out on the same day. Both bombers also died in Tuesday's blasts, which happened about 5 1/2 hours apart.
There was no claim of responsibility for either attack. But Hamas praised both bombings and dozens celebrated in the Gaza Strip (news - web sites), firing assault rifles into the air. The Islamic militant group had been expected to avenge Israel's attempt on the life of its spiritual leader on Saturday.
Earlier Tuesday, Israeli troops in the West Bank city of Hebron killed two Hamas members and a 12-year-old bystander and exploded a seven-story apartment building where the militants had been hiding.
The violence came amid political uncertainty after the resignation of the Palestinian prime minister, with an increasing number of Israeli officials calling for the expulsion of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (news - web sites).
Israeli government spokesman Avi Pazner said after the first suicide attack that "the responsibility is shared between the organization that carried out the atrocity and the Palestinian Authority (news - web sites) that did nothing to prevent it, and Israel will react accordingly."
Ahmed Qureia, whom Arafat has asked to become Palestinian prime minister, said: "We express our regrets and pain for the innocent lives (lost) as a result of violence and counter-violence. Such an act stresses once again the necessity that both the Palestinian and Israeli leadership ... search for ways to end this killing."
U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, speaking after the first bombing, said the attack "underscores the urgency with which the Palestinian Authority needs to take immediate and effective steps to dismantle and disarm the terrorist capabilities."
The bombers struck while Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) was visiting India. Militants have often carried out attacks during Sharon's trips — occasionally causing him to return. A senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sharon's India tour would continue.
The second suicide attack took place about 11:20 p.m. Tuesday, when a bomber struck at the popular Cafe Hillel on a strip with many restaurants and small shops. Ambulances rushed to the residential German Colony area of Jewish west Jerusalem, and workers carried away the wounded on stretchers.
At least six people were killed in addition to the bomber and more than 30 were wounded, according to the Magen David Adom rescue service.
Police said the bomber managed to get into the cafe even though two security guards were posted at the entrance — one inside the door and one outside.
Jerusalem police commander Mickey Levy told Israel Radio one guard tried to stop the attacker, and that he then set off the bomb.
"I have a store next to the cafe. I arrived just a few moments after the blast. I saw things that just can't be described, there are no words," said a witness who identified himself only as Shavi.
After the bombing, hundreds of people milled about near the cafe's shattered front windows. One body lay at the cafe's entrance covered in a white blanket; the street was strewn with glass.
A supporting column inside the cafe was splattered with blood.
The blast set off the alarms of dozens of parked cars. Police broke car windows to check for bombs.
Police cordoned off the area while rescue workers treated sobbing victims, and a dazed, wounded man sat on the street, holding a bloody T-shirt to his head.
The first attack, in Rishon Letzion, took place about 6 p.m. The bomber walked up to a bus stop crowded with Israeli soldiers and set off the devise as the servicemen were waiting for rides home outside the Tsrifin army base.
Seven people were killed in addition to the bomber, police said. Fifteen people were being treated at the hospital, all but one of them soldiers, spokeswoman Nurit Nehemia said. Others were treated for minor injuries and released.
Cpl. Eyal Schneider, 20, was walking toward the bus stop when he heard the explosion and saw a fireball. "People were running from the bus stop shouting 'Bomb! Bomb!' " he said.
Ambulances lined up at the scene and rescue workers rushed to aid screaming victims.
"I saw the bodies, the body parts strewn around, heard the screams, and tried to help," said one witness, who gave his name only as Roy.
Hours later, the aluminum walls of the bus shelter remained splattered with blood.
The White House denounced the attacks.
"We condemn this act of terrorism and extend our condolences to loved ones of those killed or injured," said White House deputy press secretary Claire Buchan, traveling with President Bush (news - web sites) in Jacksonville, Fla.
Qureia has not yet formally accepted Arafat's offer of the prime minister's post. The offer came after Mahmoud Abbas resigned as premier on Saturday, frustrated with four months in office in which he wrangled with Arafat and failed to persuade Israel to ease security measures imposed on Palestinians.
Qureia — a former top peace negotiator — has sought guarantees that if he accepts the post, Israel would do more to implement its obligations under the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan. Israel has not frozen settlement-building or withdrawn from most Palestinian towns, saying the Palestinians must first dismantle militant groups.
A senior Israeli official said on condition of anonymity that Qureia's terms were not acceptable.
Israeli officials had hoped dealing with Abbas might succeed in sidelining Arafat, whom they accuse of fomenting terrorism. And Israeli leaders have been cautious about Qureia as prime minister.
"We will judge any Palestinian prime minister by his actions," Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said. "He will have to decide whether he stands with Arafat or whether he stands against terrorism. His first step must be to make the strategic decision to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism."
Qureia said he will "not be under an Israeli dictate" but reiterated that the Palestinians are "committed to the road map" — a blueprint for ending violence and establishing a Palestinian state by 2005.
He and other Palestinian leaders accuse the Israelis of making the situation worse by carrying out airstrikes against Hamas militants following last month's bus bombing in Jerusalem that killed 22 people.
The Israeli strikes have killed 12 Hamas members and five bystanders.
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