At least 17 people were killed and some 90 injured in a suicide bombing outside a beach-front Tel Aviv nightclub late Friday. The Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for the attack.
But the movement has not yet issued a statement to confirm the reports.
The bomber, who was among the dead, blew himself up among a group of young people who were waiting in line to enter the discotheque "La Pacha" near the Dolphinarium, a popular nightclub in this coastal city.
According to Al Jazeera satellite channel, eight of the injured were in a critical condition, while the number of injuries is not counted yet.
Witnesses told Radio Israel that they heard a loud explosion that rocked Tel Aviv.
Hospital sources told AFP that many of the wounded had been hit by bolts and nails which the bomb contained.
One distressed witness told Israeli television: "I saw a magnificent young woman torn to pieces in front of my eyes. She is dead."
Israel's deputy minister for internal security, Guidon Ezra, said he did not think the attack was carried out by an Arab Israeli.
"It's a Palestinian from the territories who is responsible. He came in a car and Israel should retaliate," Ezra said.
More than 15 ambulances were sent to the scene and police had blocked off the area to begin a search for other possible explosive devices.
A high-ranking police officer, Yossi Setbon, described the attack as "very serious."
An information hot-line has been set up to keep concerned families informed of developments.
The attack is the worst since the Intifada, the Palestinian uprising against Israel, began on September 28.
It comes some 10 days after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared a unilateral ceasefire with the Palestinians -- a move criticized not only Jewish settlers, who are the main victims of attacks, but even members of Sharon's government.
The Palestinians have rejected the ceasefire as a ploy.
Sharon cancelled a European tour and announced a meeting would be held for the security cabinet after the Sabbath.
The Palestinian forces were evacuating their posts in the West Bank and Gaza fearing retaliation by Israel.
The Israeli army said Saturday it was tightening its closure on the Palestinian territories following the bombing.
An army statement, quoted by AFP, also called on all Palestinians from the territories who are in Israel to return home as soon as possible.
Israeli television reported that the army was making preparations in the Palestinian territories for a massive reprisal to the blast.
The agency added Israel's mini security cabinet, comprised of Sharon, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer, was due to meet at 8:30 am Saturday (0530 GMT) to discuss what measures to take.
But Al Jazeera reported that the meeting was taking place already after the attack.
In the first official Palestinian reaction, speaker of the Palestinian legislature, Ahmad Qorei, said the PA was against killing civilians, whether Israelis or Palestinians.
BUSH CONDEMNS ISRAELI BLAST, URGES ARAFAT TO DO THE SAME
US President George W. Bush on Friday strongly condemned the latest suicide bombing in Israel and called on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to do the same, the White House said in a statement, quoted by AFP.
"I condemn in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attack in Tel Aviv this Sabbath evening," Bush said in a statement issued from Camp David, Maryland. "There is no justification for senseless attacks against innocent civilians. I call upon Chairman Arafat to condemn this act and to call for an immediate cease fire."
ANNAN "HORRIFIED" BY LATEST BOMBING IN ISRAEL
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed horror at the suicide bombing, and said it underlined the urgency of ending the violence in the Middle East.
AFP cited a statement issued by his spokesman in which Annan said he was "horrified by the suicide bombing that occurred in Tel Aviv."
He "condemns this indiscriminate terrorist attack in the strongest possible terms," the statement said.
"This horrible event underlines the urgency of breaking the cycle of violence," it added.
ISRAELI OFFICIALS POINT BLAME AT ARAFAT FOR TEL AVIV BLAST
Israeli officials Saturday roundly held Palestinian President Yasser Arafat responsible for the attack, reported AFP.
"What we have witnessed tonight in Tel Aviv is murder in cold blood," an official in Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office, Yossi Gal, told CNN television.
"Friday night in front of a disco with so many youngsters targeted is the ultimate in barbarian acts for these terrorists."
Israeli President Moshe Katsav said Arafat "believes that by provoking an escalation, the situation is going to improve for him.
"He refuses to prove his qualities as a political leader and creates the woes of his people," Katsav told Israeli television from the United States, where he is on a state visit.
Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer accused Arafat of wanting "to provoke chaos in the Middle East."
“The attack perpetrated Friday night in Tel Aviv is one of the most atrocious we have known. It came as Israel is doing all it can so that a ceasefire can be installed that ends the violence," he said in a statement.
Israeli officials allege elements under Arafat's control have taken part in anti-Israeli attacks in the eight-month-old Palestinian uprising, said AFP.
Israeli Minister of Internal Security Uzi Landau said Arafat "is the one who has made it possible for these organizations, over which he has jurisdiction."
"Arafat is a partner of Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden," Landau told CNN television, referring to the Iraqi president and the alleged terrorist mastermind.
"We had a ceasefire, hoping we could find some kind of counterpart. We have to explore every possible channel to see how to stop this violence," Landau said.
Sharon last week ordered Israeli troops last week to fire only in self-defense, saying the measure was part of Israel's compliance with the Mitchell report on the deadly Israeli-Palestinian violence.
But the Palestinians have denounced the ceasefire as a public relations ploy.
Sharon's spokesman Ramon Gissin told CNN television, "The finger is pointing in only one direction, the Palestinian Authority and its leaders."
"We will have to draw the proper conclusions from this event," Gissin said. "Our response will be at a time and place that we will decide."
Gal added: "Sharon declared 10 days ago a unilateral ceasefire and was hoping the Palestinian Authority and Yasser Arafat would do likewise ... It is clear that the Palestinian Authority has not done so and this is what we've seen tonight."
"I certainly think that he (Arafat) is in control and the Palestinian Authority is in control," Gal added. "And let me again tell you that we have been waiting to hear the chairman call on his people to stop the violence." – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
