-Caveat Lector-
Bomb kills 5 in TA; IDF surrounds Arafat's HQ Israel demands
extradition of Palestinians inside the Muqata; full curfew
imposed on most of the West Bank By Ha'aretz Staff
{PRIVATE}
Police sappers
examining the remains
of the bus after the
bombing yesterday on
Allenby Street in Tel
Aviv.
(Photo: Uriel Sinai)
Bus driver Yossi
Memstinov.
Five people were killed and 71 injured in a suicide bombing
on Tel Aviv's Allenby Street yesterday.
In response, the cabinet ordered the Israel Defense Forces to
surround Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's
headquarters, the Muqata compound in Ramallah, and
demanded the surrender of wanted Palestinians believed to be
hiding there. The IDF did so last night.
The cabinet also discussed the possibility of expelling Arafat,
with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon supporting the idea but
Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer opposed. But Ben-
Eliezer did support the idea of besieging Arafat - a move he
has opposed in the past - arguing that at the present time,
such a move would weaken the chairman, whereas in the
past, it would have strengthened him.
The bombing occurred a few minutes after 1 P.M., when the
terrorist boarded a number 4 bus belonging to the Dan
cooperative at a stop on Allenby near Rothschild Boulevard,
between Yehuda Halevy and Montefiore Streets. Immediately
after entering the bus, before he even reached the driver to
purchase a ticket, the bomber set off his explosives, which he
carried in a backpack. The powerful explosion ripped through
the bus, flinging screws and nails at passengers and passersby.
The bus continued to move forward for several meters before
it came to a complete halt.
Six people are still hospitalized, five of them in serious
condition and one critically injured. Among those killed was
the bus driver, Yossi Memstinov, 39, of Or Yehuda. A 15-year
veteran of Dan, he is survived by his wife and four children, the
youngest of whom is a one-month-old baby. Another person
killed was Solomon Hoenig, 79, from Tel Aviv.
Police said the casualties would probably have been even
worse had the bomber not detonated his explosives so hastily.
The fact that the door of the bus was still open when the bomb
went off mitigated the force of the blast, they said.
Following the explosion, neighbors and passersby rushed to the
scene to rescue the injured, together with some 40 ambulances.
The emergency crews arrived about 10 minutes after the blast,
according to eyewitnesses, and transfered the injured to
Ichilov, Wolfson and Tel Hashomer Hospitals.
Police investigators said that the terrorist carried the bomb on
his body, inside a small knapsack on his back. The size of the
bomb is still not clear, but police believe it was not very large -
probably between five and seven kilograms. It contained
hundreds of screws and nails, however, many of which could
still be seen strewn on the street and sidewalk hours after the
explosion.
Hamas promptly claimed responsibility for the attack, and
Israeli authorities believe that the radical Islamic organization's
claim is genuine. The identity of the suicide bomber, however,
is still not known. He appears to have entered Israel from the
West Bank, but defense officials said it is possible that he
originally came from Gaza and moved to the West Bank some
time ago. The security services are also investigating the
possibility that he had been inside the Green Line for some
days and that he received assistance inside the country before
making his way to Tel Aviv.
The defense establishment was busy last night putting together
a final list of Palestinians wanted by Israel. Of the 25 persons
currently residing in the Muqata, Israel will ask that 15 to 18
be handed over.
The more senior people on Israel's list are Tawfiq Tirawi, head
of the General Intelligence Service in Gaza, and Mahmoud
Damra (Abu Awad), the commander of Force 17, Arafat's
presidential guard, in Ramallah.
Tanks and armored personnel carriers began entering the
Muqata compound yesterday evening. One Force 17 member
was injured during the IDF operation, but no Israeli injuries
were reported.
The IDF also imposed a full curfew on all West Bank cities
except Hebron.
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