JERUSALEM Ñ Islamic insurgents have blown up an Israeli university
cafeteria, killing seven students and injuring more than 85.
Five of the casualties were U.S. citizens. The others included nationals
from Turkey and South Korea.
Unlike previous attacks, the bombing was not that of a suicide attacker.
Instead, a backpack full of explosives left in the cafeteria of the Hebrew
University blew up on Wednesday afternoon. Officials said the bomb was
detonated by cellular
phone.
The Hamas movement claimed responsibility and on late Wednesday
thousands of supporters of the movement celebrated the attack on the
university in Gaza City and in the West Bank city of Nablus. The Izzedin
Kassam military wing said the attack was to avenge the Israeli air strike
last week that killed Hamas leader Salah Shehada.
Authorities said an Islamic insurgent from the neighboring Jerusalem
Arab neighborhood of Issawiya slipped a suitcase past university guards.
They said the bomb was relatively small but placed in the center of a
room full of people.
Officials said Hamas has improved its bomb production and was probably
helped by a university worker in the attack. They said the movement has used
nitroglycerine and other chemicals to increase the lethality of small bombs.
The Hamas bombing attack took place as Israeli senior ministers
discussed new measures to stop Palestinian suicide bombings. The Cabinet
committee on security approved a plan meant to impose tougher measures on
investigation suspects and in response to suicide attacks.
On Thursday, Israeli police and security forces blocked roads from the
West Bank to central Israel. Several Israeli towns along the old 1967 border
were sealed as forces searched for suspected Palestinian suicide bombers.
This, as Israeli authorities charged a captured Hamas insurgent of preparing
cyanide attacks against Israeli targets.
Israeli government sources said the measures would allow the military to
seize assets of suicide bombers, destroy their homes and expel family
members. This would include seizing the assets of Israeli Arab citizens,
several of whom have been accused of helping Palestinian insurgents.
Last month, under international pressure, Israel backed off from plans
to resettle the family of West Bank suicide bombers in the Gaza Strip. But a
panel headed by Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi warned in a
report to the Cabinet that suicide bombing has become a favorite tactic of
Palestinians and must be dealt with in a comprehensive manner.
In the West Bank city of Jenin, an Israeli military unit was said to
have found a bomb laboratory in the building of the Palestinian Legislative
Council. An Israeli military communique said the laboratory contained 300
kilograms of improvised TATP explosives, 150 kilograms of fertilizer and 30
containers of acid.
In a related development, France is said to have turned down an Israeli
request to press the European Union to include Hizbullah on the EU's list of
terrorist groups. French President Jacques Chirac dismissed the request
submitted by Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres during a visit this week
to Paris.