Eight Israelis killed, 60 wounded in a Palestinian operation in Jerusalem
Palestine-Israel, Military, 2/23/2004

Some 8 Israelis were killed and other 60 wounded when one Palestinian blew himself up in a bus in west Jerusalem.

The explosions took place few meters from the walls of the old town in a crowded bus that works on line no. 14 linking Haar Houma settlement quarters ( Jabal Abu Ghneim), situated on the outskirts of Bethlehem and the downtown of the city.

The Israeli police said that seven of the killed persons are males including one soldier and that other 60 were wounded including ten in a critical condition. The spokesman for the Israeli police said that " DNA tests defined the identity of a 8th victim." The police explained that the suicider used a medium explosive that destroyed the bus. Immediately, the Israeli foreign minister Silvan Shalom stressed that "this attack proves the need of building the security wall. There is horror where the fence is built and where there is no fence."

Al-Aqsa group of the Fatah movement announced in a statement responsibility for the operation. The statement said that "Muhammad Zaoul (20 year old) from Housan village, Bethlehem district carried out the martyrdom operation." The statement added "our operation comes in the context of our answer to al-Shuja'eya massacre and all other massacres committed against our people as well as the operation of building the Nazi wall."

The Palestinian prime minister Ahmad Qurei' deplored in a statement this operation. The statement read that Qurei' "denounces targeting civilians from both sides and also calls on the Israeli government to immediately stop fire and start the implementation of the Roadmap including reciprocated obligations, especially halting the cycle of violence against the two people."

The last suicide operations took place on January 29th in a passengers bus that went off near Sharon's house in west Jerusalem and resulted in killing 10 persons.

Previous Stories:
  Two Palestinians killed, Washington accuses Palestinians of obstructing the Roadmap   (2/21/2004)
  Two Palestinian houses demolished, One Palestinian expelled from west bank; Hamas: no inter-fighting will take place   (2/20/2004)
  Red Cross: Israel's barrier violates humanitarian law   (2/19/2004)
  King of Bahrain meets Moroccan FM   (2/18/2004)
  One Palestinian killed by Israeli forces, an alternative plan to dismantle Gaza settlements   (2/17/2004)
  Preparations for Sharon- Qrei summit, Sharon studies referendum to dismantle settlements   (2/5/2004)

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