By Ryan Jones
Jan 19, 2006
A Palestinian Arab blew himself up at a crowded pedestrian mall near Tel Aviv's old central bus station Thursday afternoon, wounding 25 people.
Magen David Adom officials reported one seriously wounded, five moderate and the rest lightly injured in the blast. Police said the bomber, who the terror group Islamic Jihad claimed as their own, was the only fatality.
One eyewitness told Israel Radio he and others eating at a popular shwarma stand became suspicious of the bomber, who was impersonating a razor salesman. A nearby policeman grabbed and began searching the man, but the would-be killer escaped and detonated his charge a short distance away.
The terror alert level was immediately raised throughout the country.
It is believed ?Palestinian? terror groups will attempt to escalate efforts to mass murder Jews ahead of the January 25 Palestinian Legislative Council election in order to boost their chances at the polls.
PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas continues to refuse to disarm the terror groups or to prevent them from participating in political life, both of which are violations of signed peace agreements with Israel.
The Abbas regime issued its standard unsympathetic condemnation following the bombing, saying the action had harmed the ?Palestinian? cause and the upcoming parliamentary elections. No mention was made of the immorality of targeting unarmed civilians or of the victims.