Over 20 Israelis were injured, some seriously, when the Tel
Aviv bus #66 exploded near
the corner of Weizman and Namir streets, across the street
from the Tel Aviv court, Beit Asia and down the street from Ichilov hospital.
Reportedly, a heavy-set man is suspected of planting a 3 kg
bomb on the nearly empty bus. As of now Israel has closed off roads leading to
the West Bank in attempts to find the man.
Israel Television Channel 2’s police reporter Moshe Nussbaum
reported that Hamas has strongly denied any connection to the bombing. Some
analysts see this as a dual game by Hamas, others think that the Arab street
from the west bank is growing restless and may start another intifada since PA
president Abu Mazan has become irrelevant in the current situation.
The respected Haaretz newspaper’s Arab affairs reporter,
Danny Rubenstein, said that the terrorist more than likely came from the West
Bank since Gaza is hermetically sealed. Rubenstein also said that the PA leader
Abu Mazen has lost his credibility in the West Bank. He also said that pro-Gaza
demonstrations have begun in the West Bank. Palestinians have also started to
throw stones at Israeli cars and army vehicles traveling in the West Bank. His
conclusions was that no leader of Hamas has managed to execute an attack on the
heart of Israel even one as small as this bus bomb.
The attack comes as U.S. Sec. of State shuttles between
Israel and Egypt trying to broker a cease-fire. Meanwhile Hamas continues to
fire rockets at Israel. Over fifty have been fired today, some causing serious
damage. Yesterday two men were killed by rocket attacks, one an IDF soldier
from a religious soldiers’ group.
Ehud Yaari, Israel Television’s Channel 2 Arab affairs
reporter said as part of the continuing coverage of the conflict that the bus
bombing was condemned by influential Arab journalists from Saudi Arabi, Qatar,
and Egypt. He said that these highly respected journalists claimed that Hamas
was dragging the Middle East into a conflict that was in no one’s interest
except Iran. Yaari said that Gazans have suffered greatly in this current
conflict and that Egypt doesn’t want more damage to the civilians living in the
Gaza Strip. In Yaari’s view Hamas is losing credibility in the Arab world. However Hamas still has support in the streets of Gaza and the West Bank.
Yaari said that Egypt had long ago lost patience with Hamas.
Egypt warned Hamas not to escalate the conflict with Israel, but Hamas ignored
Egypt’s orders. Hamas not only fired Fajr rockets from the Sinai into Israel,
but then shot RPG rockets at IDF positions, and increased the number of rockets
fired into Israel.
Yaari said that Egypt wanted an immediate halt to the
hostilities, and then discuss a cease-fire. Hamas’ spokesmen have reportedly
said they’ve agreed to a cease-fire. Other pundits wondered what was stopping
the pause in fighting from going into effect.
Israel TV’s Channel 2 Military reporter Ronny Daniel thought
Israel should invade, and occupy Gaza for as long as it took to clean out the
rockets and depose Hamas. Small groups of Israeli demonstrators have appeared
around Israel espousing the same views. Israel’s tens of thousands of soldiers
are still poised on the border waiting the command to attack.
Did Hamas send the bomber to Tel Aviv or didn’t they? Does
it matter? The problem now rests in the hands of Israel’s government. Agree to
a pause in the fighting or give the army the green light.
Most experts expect a cease-fire within a day or two.
