HIGLIGHTSIsraeli Helicopters Fire 9 Missiles at Targets in Gaza City|| Bush & Palestinian Authority Denounce Attacks & Aqsa Brigades Claims responsibility || Sharon Convenes Cabinet & Israeli Military Build up Reported in Southern Gaza|| Resistance Attacks Come in Retaliation for Recent Israeli Targeted Killings & Demolitions of Palestinian Houses|| STORY: Two Palestinian resistance bombers killed 22 other people and injured more than 100 in back-to-back blasts on Sunday in Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv, police said.

Later, Israeli helicopters fired at least nine missiles at targets in Gaza City in an apparent military response to the first bomb attacks in Israel for six weeks. There were no early reports of casualties.

A Palestinian resistance group claimed responsibility for the Tel Aviv bombings, which the Palestinian Authority denounced as a "terrorist" attack.

It came three weeks before a general election at which security concerns will be paramount for many Israeli voters.

The blasts, two minutes apart, tore through an area near the old bus station and a crowded mall nearby, leaving bodies strewn about, shops in ruins and people fleeing in panic from an area frequented by foreign workers in Israel's biggest city.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon convened his security cabinet after the bombings, and the Gaza missile strikes on unidentified targets were launched shortly afterwards.

Palestinians also reported a build-up of Israeli armored forces in the southern Gaza Strip refugee camp of Rafah. The Israeli occupation army had no immediate comment on their actions.

Sunday's Tel Aviv attacks followed threats of revenge for a surge in occupation army killings of resistance activists in the West Bank and a spate of demolitions of houses belonging to activists' families.

More than two years into the Palestinian uprising, U.S. officials have called on both sides to show restraint to help Washington prepare the way for a possible war against Iraq.

CONDEMNATIONS AND CLAIMS

The Palestinian resistance group Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of the Fatah faction, claimed responsibility. It named the bombers as Boraq Abdel Rahman Halfa and Saber al-Nouri from Nablus and said they carried out the attack in retaliation for demolitions of homes.

Arafat's Palestinian Authority rejected blame hurled at it by Israel. The Palestinian cabinet said Israel had demolished 3,000 Palestinian homes in the past 27 months.

President Bush condemned the attack. "He condemns this in the strongest possible terms," a spokeswoman said. "There are those who want to derail the peace process. But the president will not be deterred."

France and Britain also issued strong denunciations.

"The Palestinian Authority reiterates its position of condemning the killing of civilians whether Israelis or Palestinians," said Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat.

He accused Sharon's government of stepping up military operations to sabotage talks in Cairo between Palestinian resistance factions on a possible cease-fire.

PHOTO CAPTION

Israeli occupation troops and rescue workers comb a bomb site for clues in Tel Aviv on January 5, 2003. At least 19 people were killed and dozens wounded in two explosions apparently set off by resistance bombers in a crowded area in central Tel Aviv. The blasts occurred one quickly after another near the old Tel Aviv bus station and a nearby pedestrian mall. (Nir Elias/Reuters)