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Tel Aviv bus bombing raises fears in Israel that Gaza conflict will spread Tel Aviv bus bombing hardens Israeli public opinion against Gaza ceasefire
(35 minutes later)
The scorch marks and blown-out windows of a Tel Aviv bus have raised fears in Israel that the war in Gaza is poised to spread to major Israeli population centres, reviving traumatic memories of past bombings of buses, cafes and other public places. The scorched carcass and blown windows of a Tel Aviv bus have raised fears among the Israeli public that the war in Gaza is poised embroil its major population centres, hardening opinion against a possible ceasefire to end the eight-day-old conflict.
A bomb left on the number 142 bus exploded around noon on Wednesday just yards from the headquarters of the Israeli Defence Forces, spreading shards of glass across the road and pavement. Fifteen people were taken to hospital, three of them with moderate to serious injuries. Police said it was a terrorist attack. The blast, just yards from the city centre headquarters of the Israeli Defence Forces, also revived traumatic memories of past bombings of buses, cafes and other public places. It was the first such attack in Tel Aviv since 2006.
For Tamara Kessel, 54, who was standing next to the bus at the time, the blast brought back the loss of her unborn child in a bus bombing in the city in 1996. "I heard the blast, and fell to the ground," she said, still shaking with shock more than an hour later. "This was the last thing I was expecting. You cannot live like this. All these traumas – it just goes on." A device left on the number 142 bus exploded around noon, spreading shards of glass across the road and pavement. Fifteen people were taken to hospital, three of them with moderate to serious injuries, and others were treated for shock. Police said it was a terrorist attack.
Speaking at the scene, a police spokesman, Micky Rosenfeld, said: "It's very clear that this is a terrorist attack." The bomb had been left on the bus, and police had set up road blocks around the city in an effort to catch the perpetrators. There were no credible claims of responsibility for the attack. In Gaza, where celebratory gunfire was heard as news of the blast spread, Hamas praised the bombing without saying it was responsible. "We consider it a natural response to the occupation crimes and the ongoing massacres against civilians in the Gaza Strip," a spokesman, Fawzi Barhoum, told the Associated Press.
"There was no specific warning of an attack," he added, although security forces had been on high alert since the start of Israel's military offensive on Gaza a week ago. The blast came as the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, shuttled between Jerusalem, Ramallah and Cairo in an effort to promote a ceasefire in the Gaza war. She swiftly condemned the attack.
In Gaza, celebratory gunfire was heard as news of the blast spread. Hamas praised the attack, without claiming direct responsibility for it. "We consider it a natural response to the occupation crimes and the ongoing massacres against civilians in the Gaza Strip," a spokesman, Fawzi Barhoum, told the Associated Press. Israel's top political leaders were uncharacteristically silent in the aftermath, suggesting that they may fear jeopardising the delicate negotiations in Cairo with hawkish statements.
Israel's deputy prime minister, Silvan Shalom, who heard the explosion from his office, said the attack was an "escalation". But the deputy prime minister, Silvan Shalom, described the bus bombing as an "escalation". Some politicians, including the deputy speaker of the parliament, Danny Danon, urged the immediate implementation of provisional plans to invade Gaza. "It is time to declare war. The time for restraint is over," he tweeted.
David Magriso, a lawyer, rushed to the scene from his nearby offices when he heard the blast, thinking it was a rocket fired from Gaza. "There was a lot of smoke and people running. The security forces were on the scene very quickly." Speaking at the scene of the blast on one of Tel Aviv's main roads, the police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said: "It's very clear that this is a terrorist attack." Police set up road blocks around the city in efforts to catch the perpetrators.
Rosenfeld said there had been "no specific warning of an attack" although security forces had been on high alert since the start of Israel's military offensive on Gaza a week ago.
There was speculation that the attacker came from the West Bank.
David Magriso, a lawyer, rushed to the scene from his nearby offices when he heard the explosion, thinking it was a rocket fired from Gaza. "There was a lot of smoke and people running. The security forces were on the scene very quickly," he said.
Among the crowd milling around the site of the blast were many who said the attack increased the necessity of a ground offensive inside Gaza. "We need to finish this war for once and for all," said one.
A paramedic, Israel Kornik, clad in bright blue surgical gloves and a reflective jacket, said he had helped a bloodied female passenger off the wrecked bus. "She cried like a baby," he said. "As I took her to the ambulance, she said: 'Tell [prime minister] Binyamin Netanyahu to be strong. Don't stop, finish the job [in Gaza], go forward.'"
For Tamara Kessel, 54, who was standing next to the bus at the time, the blast instantly brought back the loss of her unborn child in a bus bombing in the city in 1996. "I heard the blast, and fell to the ground," she said, still shaking with shock more than an hour later. "This was the last thing I was expecting. You cannot live like this. All these traumas – it just goes on."
Yafa Kessler, 46, who was also close to the scene, said it immediately reminded her of previous attacks. "It surprised and frightened me because I thought the war was in the south. I didn't expect it to happen here. Now I'm too scared to get on a bus."Yafa Kessler, 46, who was also close to the scene, said it immediately reminded her of previous attacks. "It surprised and frightened me because I thought the war was in the south. I didn't expect it to happen here. Now I'm too scared to get on a bus."
Wearing bright blue surgical gloves and a reflective jacket, the paramedic Israel Kornik said he had helped an injured passenger off the wrecked bus. "She cried like a baby," he said. "As I took her to the ambulance, she said 'tell [prime minister] Binyamin Netanyahu to be strong. Don't stop, finish the job [in Gaza], go forward." More than 1,000 Israelis were killed in repeated suicide bombings during the violent uprising against Israel's occupation between 2000 and 2006. More than 5,000 Palestinians were killed over the same period.
Others in the crowd also said that the attack had made a ground offensive inside Gaza more likely. "We need to finish this war for once and for all," said one. In the past week, militants have fired at least four rockets from Gaza, 40 miles to the south, at Tel Aviv but none has made a direct hit. Israel has stationed an Iron Dome anti-missile defence battery to the south of the city. Five Israelis have died as a result of rocket fire. More than 140 Palestinians have been killed in air strikes and shelling inside Gaza.
Militants have fired at least four rockets from Gaza, 40 miles to the south, at Tel Aviv over the past week but none have made a direct hit. Israel has stationed an Iron Dome anti-missile defence battery to the south of the city. Chaim Shafir, who lives close to the site of the bus bombing, said he had been expecting a violent attack in the city. "Paradoxically, maybe this will do some good. People only stop fighting when both sides realise there is no point. Maybe some sense will start to emerge."
Chaim Shafir, who lives in the area, said: "Paradoxically, maybe this will do some good. People only stop fighting when both sides realise there is no point. Maybe some sense will start to emerge." Describing himself as a game inventor, he said: "Everything is a game in the end. From a gaming point of view, this [conflict] is a tie. But it's not over yet."
Describing himself as a game inventor, he said: "Everything is a game in the end. From a gaming point of view, this [conflict] is a tie." In a statement, the White House said attacks "against innocent Israeli civilians are outrageous … The United States reaffirms our unshakeable commitment to Israel's security and our deep friendship and solidarity with the Israeli people."
Speaking shortly after landing in Cairo to promote ceasefire talks, the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, condemned the attack. In a statement, the White House said attacks "against innocent Israeli civilians are outrageous … The United States reaffirms our unshakeable commitment to Israel's security and our deep friendship and solidarity with the Israeli people." Shortly before the blast, the British foreign office minister Alistair Burt, on an official visit to the region, warned that efforts to reach a ceasefire could be derailed. "The longer time this goes on, there is more chance of a rocket causing serious death or injury, or an air strike changing things dramatically." he said. "The ceasefire is in the balance, and it depends on events. Both sides could move close and then an unexpected event could throw it."
Shortly before the blast, the British foreign office minister Alistair Burt, on an official visit to the region, warned that efforts to reach a ceasefire could be derailed. "The longer time this goes on, there is more chance of a rocket causing serious death or injury, or an air strike changing things dramatically," he said. "The ceasefire is in the balance, and it depends on events. Both sides could move close and then an unexpected event could throw it."