 Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Center for Special Studies (C.S.S) |
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Palestinian Islamic Jihad suicide bombing attack at the
old Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv
Attack site (Al-Arabiya TV, April 17)
Overview
At 1:30 pm on April 17 a suicide bomber blew himself up at a fast-food restaurant on Neveh Sha'anan Street near the old Central Bus Station in the center of Tel Aviv. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attack left nine dead, among them the restaurant's security guard (who apparently tried to examine the suicide bomber's backpack) and two workers from Romania . About 80 people were wounded, 36 of whom are still in the hospital. One was critically wounded, nine sustained serious wounds, 14 sustained moderate wounds and the rest sustained slight wounds (data relevant to the morning of April 18).
The suicide bombing attack was carried out at the same fast food restaurant attacked on January 19 of this year, in which 31 civilians were wounded. 1 It should be noted that the area around the old Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv has been a favorite target for suicide bombing attacks during the ongoing violent Israeli-Palestinian confrontation. Five suicide bombing attacks were carried out there, two by the PIJ, two by Fatah and one by the two organizations in collaboration. That is because the area is crowded by Israelis and foreign workers, and it is easy for the potential suicide bomber to blend in and get lost in the crowd (For details on the suicide bombing attacks carried out at the old Central Bus Station, see the Appendix ).
The PIJ claims responsibility
The PIJ claimed responsibility for the attack, representing it as “a legitimate response” to Israel 's actions in the Gaza Strip and West Bank 2 (Ramatan News Agency, April 7). The PIJ issued a video cassette of the suicide bomber, Samer Sameh Hammad , reading his “will.” Ziyad Nahleh , deputy secretary of the PIJ, who operates from the organization's headquarters in Damascus , promised that the PIJ would carry out more suicide bombing attacks “within the heart of the Zionist entity” in response to the IDF actions in the Gaza Strip and West Bank . 3
Ziyad Nahleh: The PIJ will carry out more suicide bombing attacks in Israel
(Qudsway Internet site, April 18)
PIJ terrorist-operatives take responsibility for the attack
(Al-‘Alam TV, April 17)
The suicide bomber came from the village of Burqin , west of Jenin. He was 21 years old (although in pictures he looked much younger) and one of his family's 11 children. He studied social work at Al-Quds Open University, but recently dropped out of school to help support the family. In his “will” he said, “I, the suicide bomber Samer Sameh Hammad, the son of the Jerusalem Battalions… present myself as a tool for the sake of Allah… We dedicate this action to our heroes imprisoned in the jails of the Israeli occupation. Jihad [holy war] [will lead] to victory or the death of a martyr for the sake of Allah [ istishhad ]…” 4
The suicide bomber reading his “will” (Al-Arabiya TV, April 17)
The PIJ, which has carried out a large number of suicide bombing attacks, is encouraged and supported by Iran and Syria , and directed by its headquarters in Damascus . During 2005 and the beginning of 2006, the PIJ carried out many mass-murder suicide bombing attacks in population centers in Israel . The intention of the attacks, the present one included, has been to escalate the ongoing violent Israeli-Palestinian confrontation and to place the organization in the front line of the “struggle” (i.e., the use of terrorism and violence) against Israel .
Ramadan Shalah, PIJ leader at the Jerusalem Conference for the support of the Palestinians which recently took place in Teheran (Al-‘Alam TV, April 15). While in Iran he justified the continuation of terrorist attacks against Israel .
Until 2005, Hamas carried out the greatest number of suicide bombing attacks, but since then the PIJ has taken its place. During 2005, after the Palestinian agreement concerning the so-called “lull in the fighting,” the PIJ carried out five mass-murder suicide bombing attacks and two more so far during 2006. Three were in Tel Aviv , two in Netanya , one in Hadera and one at an IDF roadblock in the region of Tulkarm (the suicide bombers were on their way to Rosh Ha'ayin). A total of 32 Israelis were killed in the attacks and about 270 were wounded .
PA reactions
Hamas reactions
This was the third suicide bombing attack carried out since Hamas won the Palestinian Legislative Council elections 5 and the second since the Hamas government was sworn in. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri justified the attack , representing it as an “act of self defense:” “Our public is on the defensive and it has every right to use every means to defend itself.” Wasfi Kabaha , minister of prisoners' affairs, said that the attack was part of “legitimate Palestinian resistance” and came in response to “the violations and crimes of the occupation.”
Sami Abu Zuhri: the Hamas government
legitimizes suicide bombing terrorism
The Hamas government is the first Palestinian Authority government to openly support suicide bombing attacks carried out against Israeli civilians . It should be noted that Yussuf Ruzka, the newly-appointed minister of information, and other Hamas spokesmen, also justified the previous suicide bombing attack in Kedumim claiming that the “Israeli occupation” was responsible and that the Palestinians had the “right” to continue their “resistance” to it. 6 In addition, the legitimization of “ all expressions of resistance ” (i.e., violence and terrorism directed against Israel) is one of the guiding principles of the Hamas government , and the organization's spokesmen repeat the mantra that they will not give in to the pressure of the international community and renounce their support of terrorism.
Abu Mazen's response
PA chairman Abu Mazen condemned the attack, calling it “ a vile attack which harms the Palestinian people's struggle .” He added that the Palestinians would not cease in their efforts to apprehend those who carry out such attacks (Palestinian News Agency and the PNN Internet site, April 17). Fatah's central committee also condemned the attack and denied its operatives were in any way involved in it (Palestinian News Agency, April 17). However, in practice, Abu Mazen has neither the ability nor the desire to translate his statements into action .
Strong condemnation in the international arena
On April 17, White House spokesman Scott McClellan condemned the attack, calling it “an atrocious attack which has no excuse or justification.” He again stated that the United States would have no contacts with the Palestinian government and called upon it to renounce its support of terrorism.
The European Union and the countries which belong to it also condemned the attack. Austria , which currently holds the presidency of the EU, issued a statement strongly condemning the attack and calling upon the Palestinian government to conform to the demands of the international community, especially that of the renunciation of violence. Condemnations were also issued by the foreign ministers of Britain , France and Germany , and by the General Secretary of the United Nations . The Russian foreign ministry was quick to issue a condemnation of the attack and the harming of innocent victims, but at the same time urged Israel to show restraint and avoid escalation.
Appendix
The old Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv, preferential site for suicide bombing attacks
From the point of view of the Palestinian terrorist organizations, the old Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv is a relatively convenient target for suicide bombing attacks. There are, in our assessment, a number of reasons for that: it is on the outskirts of the city and is easily accessible; the area is large and crowded during most of the day and many foreign workers can be found there; the nature and size of the area make it difficult for the security forces to act effectively and at the same time, also make it easy for a suicide bomber to blend in with the crowd.
Since the beginning of the ongoing violent confrontation, the area around the old Bus Station was become a favorite target for suicide bombing attacks. During the past four years five such attacks were carried out there, killing 37 and wounding 230 (in addition, an explosive device was placed behind a bus in July 2004, killing a female soldier and wounding approximately 20 people).
Of the five suicide bombing attacks, two were carried out by Fatah , two by the PIJ and one by the two organizations in collaboration. They were planned and carried out by the terrorist infrastructures in Nablus and northern Samaria , and abetted by supporters who drove the suicide bombers to the Bus Station. Three of the five suicide bombing attacks were carried out or planned by two terrorists at the same time.
Below are short descriptions of the four previous suicide bombing attacks carried out since the beginning of the current ongoing violent confrontation: 7
• On January 19, 2006 , a suicide bomber blew himself up at a fast-foot restaurant near the old Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv (the same restaurant where the latest attack took place.) Thirty-one people were wounded, one sustaining moderate wounds and the rest slight wounds. The suicide bomber was a resident of Nablus and active in the PIJ's student wing at Al-Najah University . The Jerusalem Battalions , the PIJ's terrorist-operative wing, claimed responsibility for the attack.
• On January 5, 2003 , two suicide bombers from an blew themselves up simultaneously at the old Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv at two different sites, killing 23 people and wounding approximately 106. Responsible for the attack was the Fatah terrorist-operative infrastructure in Nablus , directed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in Lebanon .
• On July 17, 2002 , two suicide bombers from villages near Nablus blew themselves up a minute and a half and about 30 meters ( 100 feet ) apart from one another on the Neveh Sha'anan pedestrian mall in Tel Aviv. Five people were killed in the blasts and about 33 were wounded. The attack was carried out by the Fatah terrorist-operative infrastructure in Nablus .
• On January 25, 2002 , a suicide bomber from a village near Nablus blew himself up at the old Bus Station in Tel Aviv, wounding about 23 people. Another terrorist, who was supposed to have carried out a shooting attack, was trapped in the area. The attack was a collaboration between the PIJ and Fatah.
1 For further information see our Special Bulletin “Thirty-one wounded in another Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)suicide bombing attack at fast-food restaurant in Tel Aviv ,” at http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/pij_e0106.pdf
2 In addition, an announcement was made by Abu Udai, calling himself a senior Fatah/Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades operative, who claimed that his organization was also involved in the attack.
3 According to Qudsway, the PIJ's Internet site, April 17.
4 According to Qudsway, the PIJ's Internet site, April 17.
5 Two attacks were carried out at the Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv by the PIJ, and another at the settlement of Kidumim by Fatah/Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades on March 30, 2006, the day after the Hamas government was sworn in.
6 For further information see our Special Bulletin “Suicide bombing attack near Kedumim settlement in Samaria ,” at http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/kdumim_e.pdf .
7 For further information see our Special Bulletin “Suicide bombing terrorism during the current Israeli-Palestinian confrontation ,” at http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/suicide_terrorism_ae.pdf .