Martyrdom operation kills 15 Israelis, wounded 57, Sharon cuts visit to US
Palestine-Israel, Military, 5/8/2002

Some 15 Israelis were killed and other 57 wounded in a "martyrdom operation" which took place on Tuesday evening in a play hall in Reishoun Litzioun city to the south of Tel Aviv.

An unidentified person on behalf of Ezz Eddine al-Qassam group, the military wing of the Islamic resistance movement ( Hamas) claimed responsibility for this operation. The Israeli police said that the operation took place in a play hall in Reishoun Litzioun. The police commander assistant in the central area Bafrah Sukhofnik said that the explosion was by "a suicide person" who was carrying a huge explosive charge. He added that the person detonated himself in the center of the sports club. This is however, the first time an operation takes place in Israel since April 12 at the time when the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon is meeting with the US President George Bush in Washington.

The Israeli prime minister decided to return back to Israel on Wednesday evening following the said operation. Sharon close aides in Washington announced that according to his original program, Sharon would have held meetings in the US Congress on Tuesday evening and meet today ( Wednesday) with officials of the Jewish community in New York. Also according to his program, Sharon is due to return today ( Wednesday) evening to Israel.

On Tuesday, the US President George Bush expressed his disgust over the violence which claimed innocent souls. He considered the chairman of the Palestinian authority Yasser Arafat as having not served the interests of the Palestinians. In a press conference he held in the White House following his talks with Sharon, Bush said he is disappointed by Arafat who did not serve the interests of his people.

The US President also announced he will delegate to the middle East the chairman of the CIA George Tenet and that was following his meeting with Sharon. Bush called to forming a united security force in the territories that falls under the Palestinian authority.

For his part, the Israeli prime minister announced that the discussions to found a future independent Palestinian state were unprecedented. He said that the Palestinian leadership should be reformed.

Previous Stories:
  UN General Assembly to resume emergency special session on Middle East   (5/7/2002)
  Church of Nativity agreement states expelling six Palestinians, 35 for trials   (5/7/2002)
  Four Palestinians from Hamas, the Islamic Jihad killed in Gaza   (5/7/2002)
  Oreikat and Sharon's report   (5/7/2002)
  Four children killed by Israel   (5/6/2002)
  Israel detains more Hamas, Islamic Jihad members   (5/4/2002)
  One Israeli army officer killed in Nablus   (5/4/2002)

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