TEL AVIV Ñ A Palestinian suicide attacker blew himself up on a
crowded Israeli passenger bus, killing six and injuring 49. It was the second suicide bombing in two days after a six-week lull.
Officials said the attack took place on Thursday afternoon in downtown
Tel Aviv as the bus passed a synagogue on Allenby Street in the heart of a teeming restaurant and business district at lunchtime.
On Wednesday, an
Israeli was killed and three others were injured in a Palestinian suicide
bombing in northern Israel. A Palestinian insurgent blew himself up at the entrance to a
passenger bus near the Israeli Arab city of Umm El Fahm.
Authorities cleared the street and surrounding area amid concerns that
another Palestinian suicide attacker was ready to strike. Officials said
security agencies had not warned of Palestinian plans to attack Tel Aviv.
The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the Wednesday attack. Jihad spokesman
Mohammed Hindi said what he termed the successful martyrdom operation
demonstrated the capability of Palestinians and that all insurgency groups
agree to continue missions against Israel.
The bombing was the first successful Palestinian suicide mission since Aug. 4. Israeli authorities had foiled several previous attempts by
Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
"There is a competition between Palestinian groups over which will lead
the area of the suicide bombings," an Israeli security source said. "The
motivation is very high."
Two other Israelis were killed on Wednesday in ambushes in the West
Bank. The ruling Fatah movement claimed responsibility.
The upsurge in attacks comes as Israel has held up a course planned for
this week for the training of 35 Palestinian security officers. The two-week
course was to have been conducted by Egyptian and Jordanian instructors in a
project financed and supervised by the United States.
Security sources said Israel's government appears divided over
Palestinian intentions. They said Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer has
concluded that the Fatah movement and Palestinian legislators are keen to
agree to a ceasefire with Israel. In contrast, Israeli domestic intelligence
chief Avi Dichter has dismissed a Fatah draft of a ceasefire accord as a
ploy to win U.S. and Western support for Arafat's regime.
