New Palestinian Bomb Attack, at Least 4 Dead

19/05/2003| IslamWeb

A Palestinian bomb - attacker detonated explosives at the entrance to a crowded mall in northern Israel today, killing at least four shoppers and wounding 31, the latest in a series of bombings that have derailed U.S. peace efforts. The attack in the town of Afula was the fifth bomb attack with 48 hours, following blasts in Gaza, Jerusalem and the West Bank. The spate of bombings underscored how difficult it will be to carry out the U.S.-backed "road map" plan, a three-stage prescription for ending violence immediately and setting up a Palestinian state by 2005. Israel has threatened to boycott foreign envoys who meet with Yasser Arafat. Israel holds the Palestinian leader responsible for the latest attacks, even though the Islamic groups carried out the recent string of attacks. The Islamic Jihad group claimed responsibility for the Afula blast. The larger group Hamas said it carried out four attacks over the weekend that killed 13 people, including four bombers, and it made clear Monday that it would not halt the violence. "As long as the occupation remains on our land and as long as the occupation soldiers are breathing our air we will continue our resistance," Hamas spokesman Abdel Aziz Rantisi said. The explosion - the 95th bomb attack in 32 months of fighting - went off at 5:14 p.m. at the entrance to the Shaarei Amakim mall in Afula, reportedly as shoppers were waiting in line for a security check. Malls and other public places have significantly stepped up security since the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian fighting in September 2000. The attacker detonated the explosives after encountering a security guard. The explosion killed the attacker and four shoppers, police said. Thirty-one people were wounded, including several who were in serious condition. Afula has been targeted repeatedly by Palestinians because of its proximity to the West Bank. Earlier Monday, a 19-year-old Palestinian riding a bicycle detonated a 66-pound bomb near a military jeep in the Gaza Strip, wounding three soldiers and killing himself. The Israelis and Palestinians have differed sharply over how to stop intifada. The new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, has denounced violence against Israelis, but also told Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in a weekend meeting - the first Israeli-Palestinian summit in three years - that he wants to persuade the Palestinians to stop attacks, rather than disarm them by force. Asked whether Hamas was challenging Abbas with its string of attacks, the group's spokesman Rantisi said only that there was no point in trying to negotiate with Sharon, whom he called a "terrorist." The Israeli ministers decided to cold-shoulder foreign envoys who meet with Arafat. "Whoever wants to visit Arafat can visit Arafat but he won't be allowed to meet senior Israeli officials," said a senior Sharon adviser, Raanan Gissin. Israel first threatened such a boycott several weeks ago, but enforced it only selectively. The European Union on Monday dismissed the decision and a spokeswoman said EU leaders will continue to involve Arafat in the search for peace. Arafat, who has been confined by Israel to the West Bank town of Ramallah for more than a year, accused Israel of inciting against him. "Not to forget I condemned it completely, these terrorist activities," Arafat said Monday, speaking before the Afula bombing. "At the same time, you should remember (Israel's) incitement policy against me. This is to increase the siege around me. Where did it happen that a president was forbidden from moving out of his office?" The U.S. road map calls for parallel steps in the first stage, including a Palestinian crackdown on intifada, an Israeli troop pullback from Palestinian towns and a construction freeze in Jewish settlements. Sharon insists the Palestinians make the first move. He was to have discussed his objections with President Bush this week, but canceled his trip after Sunday's bus bombing. The Palestinians have accepted the plan as is. The latest wave of attacks began Saturday evening when a Hamas bomber blew himself up in a square in the West Bank city of Hebron, killing two Israeli settlers. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Israeli occupation soldiers stand next to the body and bicycle of a Palestinian who blew himself up while riding near an Israeli army jeep in Kfar Darom in the Gaza Strip, Monday, May 19, 2003. Three soldiers were injured during the attack. (AP Photo/Gadi Kabalo)