TEL AVIV Ñ Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has blamed the first Palestinian bombing attack in nearly 4 months on a ruling by a world court in Hague against the security fence along the West Bank.
"This is the first terror strike against Israel since the international
court decision in the Hague," Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said. "I want to
make it clear: the state of Israel completely rejects the legal opinion of
the Hague. It is a completely one-sided decision. The legal opinion sends a
lethal message."
On Sunday, at least one person Ñ an Israeli
military sergeant Ñ was killed and 34 others were injured in a bombing of a
crowded
bus station in Tel Aviv.
The Tel Aviv bombing was the first major Palestinian attack in Israel
since March 14 when 10 Israelis were killed in a suicide bombing in the
southern port of Ashdod. Officials said the bomb was apparently detonated by
remote control during morning rush hour. The explosion took place as a bus
left the station in southern Tel Aviv, populated by foreign laborers, Middle East Newsline reported.
"The lull was mendacious," Israeli police chief Inspector General Shlomo
Aharonishki said. "It wasn't that the terrorists didn't try to carry out
attacks. They were just unable to."
Officials said Israeli authorities were placed on alert for a renewed
Palestinian insurgency campaign in wake of the July 9 ruling by the
International Court of Justice against Israel's security fence and barrier
along the West Bank. Officials had attributed the lull in attacks on Israel in part
to the security fence, which covers the northern and central line of the
West Bank.
The Fatah-dominated Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade claimed responsibility for
the attack. Israeli officials said authorities have received 47 alerts of
Palestinian suicide and other major strikes.
The Palestinian campaign has included missile attacks on southern Israel
from the Gaza Strip. On late July 10, two Kassam-class short-range missiles
slammed in and around an Israeli kibbutz, damaging a residential building.
Overnight Monday, Israeli troops raided Khan Yunis in the central Gaza
Strip. Palestinian sources said an elderly Palestinian was killed when a
military bulldozer destroyed a structure.