A Palestinian suicide bomber killed five people at a crowded Israeli shopping mall on Monday in the seaside town of Netanya. More than 40 people were injured in the blast. The militant group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the killings.
The latest attack is the fifth major suicide bombing since an informal cease-fire was agreed to last February between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
The attack will almost certainly be met with Israeli reprisals as Sharon is now facing an election campaign.
“Israel will act against the terror organizations with all its might and all the means at its disposal,” explained Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom. “Israel’s response will be hard and painful.”
A witness to the terrorist attack, Yisrael Klein, told Israel’s Channel Two television, “There was a boom and there was a flash. Seconds later, people were lying on the ground, some wounded, some dead. The most horrific sight was the severed head of the terrorist.”
The attack deals a big blow to Palestinian hopes of operating the Gaza Strip independently of Israeli involvement. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had just recently negotiated a deal that allowed the PA to run the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt without Israeli involvement. According to published reports in “Newsday,” 15 wanted terrorists have been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip in the brief period since the PA gained control over the border.
Abbas condemned the bombing, and promised a crackdown against those who committed the attack. In a statement, Abbas’ office said, “This operation…against civilians causes the most serious harm to our commitment to the peace process and the Palestinian Authority will not go easy on whoever is proved to be responsible for this operation.”
This was the first suicide bombing in Israel since October 26 when five people were killed by a falafel stand in the town of Hadera.
