Suicide bomb kills 15, and any hope of peace

Herald news services

RISHON LETZION, Israel — A pool hall popular with Israeli teen-agers became the latest Palestinian target Tuesday when a suicide bomber set off nail-studded explosives and killed 15 people, prompting an enraged Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to vow to retaliate with force.

The latest bombing came as Sharon and President Bush were meeting in the White House. Sharon cut short his U.S. visit to head home, while Bush offered him condolences and registered "his disgust with this wanton waste of life," a Bush adviser said.

The dead included the bomber, and at least 60 people were wounded, authorities said.

Haim Cohen, a police commander, said the attacker walked straight into the Sheffield pool hall in this city 10 miles south of Tel Aviv "and then he exploded." Cohen said.

Suicide bombings had been happening every few days until Israel consolidated its West Bank offensive. But there have been none since April 12, when a bomber blew herself up at a bus stop in Jerusalem, killing six people while Secretary of State Colin Powell was in the region trying to end the violence.

Al Manar TV in Lebanon said it received a claim of responsibility for the bombing from the Islamic militant group Hamas. A Hamas spokesman, Mahmoud Zahar, told The Associated Press he could not confirm it, but said: "If it is a martyrdom operation, it means that Israel has lost its war against the Palestinians and the Palestinian resistance has proved that it is capable of reaching the enemy everywhere."

Outside the pool hall, young women and men cried as they looked up at the bombed-out building. Emergency workers tried to help many to ambulances as police investigators scoured the area for evidence.

Israeli television said no security guard was posted outside the hall, despite new rules ordering places of entertainment to provide security.

In a strong statement with a rare choice of words, Yasser Arafat’s Palestinian Authority called suicide bombings "terrorist crimes." It said it would "take firm and strict measures against those who are involved in this operation and will not be lighthanded in punishing those who have caused great harm to our cause."

Sharon said the attack was "proof of the true intentions of the person leading the Palestinian Authority" — placing the blame squarely on Arafat’s shoulders without mentioning his name.

At a televised news conference before leaving Washington, Sharon said that as soon as he returned to Israel, he would meet with his coalition government partners and "we will have to act forcefully. The situation cannot continue."

"It is quite clear this cannot be allowed to carry on," Sharon said of the terrorists attacks. "This is not the kind of incident to which we can fail to react harshly."

Earlier in Washington, Bush and Sharon failed in their talks to bridge major differences, including how quickly to push for a Palestinian state, an outcome that the United States believes is essential.

Still, the president emerged from the talks expressing optimism that Israel, the Palestinian Authority and moderate Arab leaders will join in efforts to curb terrorist attacks in Israel while opening negotiations toward a Palestinian state. He said Arab leaders, in particular, appear to be more willing to press Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to reform his regime — making it more democratic and less corrupt.

"The world is rallying toward these reforms," Bush said, urging the Palestinians to write a constitution.

However, he and Sharon offered no signs that they had resolved their many differences.

Bush wants to accelerate peace talks; Sharon wants incremental advances. Bush wants Sharon to deal with Arafat; the Israeli refuses to do so. Bush believes Saudi Arabia is a key peace partner; Sharon’s government has accused the Saudis of supporting terrorism.

In a joint news conference with Sharon, Bush said he was sending CIA Director George Tenet to the Mideast. Aides said later that trip was being re-evaluated.

The president renewed his call for a separate state for the Palestinian people and mentioned the word "Palestine," the name of the hoped-for state. Sharon replied, "I think it’s premature to discuss" that issue until Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat reforms his government.

Bush also reminded Sharon that Israel was bound by U.N. Security Council resolutions adopted in 1967 and 1973 that call for territorial withdrawal, said a senior administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity. Bush renewed the U.S. call for restrictions on Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, the official said.

The president also urged Israel to ease economic restriction on Palestinians.

Meanwhile, the U.N. General Assembly voted to condemn Israel on Tuesday for its assault on Palestinian cities and for rejecting a U.N. fact-finding mission into the Israel army’s actions in the Jenin refugee camp.

The vote came hours after the attack at the pool hall in Rishon Letzion. The 189-nation assembly approved the Arab resolution 74 to four with 54 abstentions. The United States voted against it.

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