peace in the middle east

Tel Aviv Rocked by Bus Bombing

A general view of the scene after a bus exploded with passengers onboard on November 21, 2012 in central Tel Aviv, Israel. At least ten people have been injured in a blast on a bus near military headquarters in what is being described as terrorist attack which threatens to derail ongoing cease-fire negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian authorities.
The aftermath. Photo: Getty Images/Getty Images

A civilian bus in Tel Aviv was rocked by a bomb blast on Wednesday, injuring either 22 people (CNN) or 27 people (AP), but killing none, at least so far. Israeli police don’t suspect a suicide attack; instead they believe a man placed the bomb on the bus and left before it exploded. Suicide attacks on buses were common during the second intifada.

According to the AP, “A tiny militant group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, claimed responsibility for the bus bombing but offered no evidence to back up the claim.” Hamas didn’t take direct credit, but praised the attack on Twitter. Obviously, whoever is responsible, this doesn’t help the effort to work out a cease-fire.