Suicide blast punctures Mideast peace hopes

BEERSHEVA – A Palestinian blew himself up while trying to board a bus in southern Israel yesterday in the first suicide attack since the evacuation of settlers from the Gaza Strip, puncturing hopes that the historic pullout would break the cycle of violence.

Around 40 people were taken to hospital after the blast in Beersheva, the vast majority of them suffering from shock, although two were in a serious condition, medical sources said. More serious carnage appeared to have been averted after security at the city’s main terminus prevented the attacker from boarding.The attack comes almost exactly a year to the day after 15 Israelis were killed in a twin attack on two buses in Beersheva.There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack but it came just four days after five militants were killed by Israeli troops during an arrest operation in the West Bank town of Tulkarem.Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas told reporters that he condemned the attack, describing it as a “terrorist operation”.His national security advisor Jibril Rajub said however Israel had to expect the consequence of its “crime” in Tulkarem.”Israel must know that if it continues with this state terrorism it will lead to more violence in the region,” Jibril Rajub told AFP.Israel’s Internal Security minister Gideon Ezra said that the action of the bus driver and two security guards “had averted a major disaster”.Ezra said Israel would “not hesitate to respond” to the attack which he said underlined how “the Palestinian Authority must dismantle the terrorist groups.”But he also expressed hope that it would not herald a start to a new round of bloodshed.- Nampa-AFPMore serious carnage appeared to have been averted after security at the city’s main terminus prevented the attacker from boarding.The attack comes almost exactly a year to the day after 15 Israelis were killed in a twin attack on two buses in Beersheva.There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack but it came just four days after five militants were killed by Israeli troops during an arrest operation in the West Bank town of Tulkarem.Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas told reporters that he condemned the attack, describing it as a “terrorist operation”.His national security advisor Jibril Rajub said however Israel had to expect the consequence of its “crime” in Tulkarem.”Israel must know that if it continues with this state terrorism it will lead to more violence in the region,” Jibril Rajub told AFP.Israel’s Internal Security minister Gideon Ezra said that the action of the bus driver and two security guards “had averted a major disaster”.Ezra said Israel would “not hesitate to respond” to the attack which he said underlined how “the Palestinian Authority must dismantle the terrorist groups.”But he also expressed hope that it would not herald a start to a new round of bloodshed.- Nampa-AFP