VARIOUS: DOZENS OF ISRAELIS DEMONSTRATE AT SITE OF LATEST SUICIDE BOMB ATTACK WHICH CLAIMED TEN LIVES

Record ID: 400743

  • Title: VARIOUS: DOZENS OF ISRAELIS DEMONSTRATE AT SITE OF LATEST SUICIDE BOMB ATTACK WHICH CLAIMED TEN LIVES
  • Date: 22nd November 2002
  • Summary: (U3) JERUSALEM (NOVEMBER 21, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. SLV BUS BOMB SITE 0.06 2. SLV BUS WITH NUMBER TWENTY ON BACK 0.10 3. MV ISRAELIS DEMONSTRATING AT SITE (5 SHOTS) 0.44 4. SLV BODIES IN BLACK BAGS ON GROUND; BODIES BEING PUT IN AMBULANCE; SCU TWO BYSTANDERS (7 SHOTS) 1.36 (U3) RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (NOVEMBER 21, 2002) (REUTERS)
  • Embargoed: 7th December 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JERUSALEM / RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Reuters ID: LVAELQABZPUIA491BB33WL78KYBR
  • Story Text: Dozens of Israelis have demonstrated at the site of a
    suspected suicide bomb attack in Jerusalem, which killed 10
    people. The Palestinian labour minister has blamed Israel for
    the attack, saying the policy of occupation prevents the
    Palestinian Authority from stopping Palestinian militants.

    What began as an everyday trip to school for many
    children on Jerusalem's number 20 bus ended in carnage on
    Thursday (November 21, 2002) after a Palestinian suicide bomber
    posing as a commuter boarded and blew it up.

    One of the 10 dead, a 14-year-old girl, died on arrival at
    Jerusalem's Hadassah hospital.

    The blast was so powerful that it splattered human flesh
    and blood on a white wall some 30 metres (100 feet) away.

    Rescue workers quickly covered a charred torso hanging out
    of the bus window.

    Books spilled out of a black school bag collected by
    rescue workers from debris scattered around the shell of the
    bus and a piece of burnt note paper fluttered to the ground.

    Israel Radio said residents of the neighbourhood ran out
    of their houses screaming "Where are my kids? Where are my
    kids?" when they heard the explosion, which occurred shortly
    after 7 a.m. (0500 GMT), during the morning rush hour.

    Medical officials reported at least half of the more than
    47 people rushed to hospital by ambulance crews were under 18,
    many on their way to school.

    At least seven were critically wounded.

    Police said the bomber had been sitting at the front of
    the bus when he detonated his explosives. His body was so
    mangled it was impossible to tell whether the bomb had been
    strapped to his body or hidden in a bag he carried.

    They said he was a 23-year-old from the Palestinian-ruled
    city of Bethlehem in the West Bank, near Kiryat Menahem.

    But Palestinian Labour Minister Ghassan Khatib blamed the
    Israeli government for inciting such a reaction.

    "President Arafat has all the interests in bringing to an
    end this vicious circle of violence but unfortunately the
    Israeli re-occupation is crippling the Palestinian Authority's
    security and the lack of political initiative is weakening the
    possibilities of the Palestinian Authority in convincing the
    Palestinian groups and factions not to react to the ongoing
    Israeli violence against Palestinian civilians," he said.

    There was no immediate claim of responsibility from
    Palestinian militant groups, which have blown up several dozen
    Israeli buses since a Palestinian uprising began in September
    2000 after peace negotiations became deadlocked.

    At least 1,674 Palestinians and 640 Israelis have been
    killed since then, excluding the deaths in Thursday's bombing.


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