September 1, 2004

16 killed in double Beersheba bombing

ARIEH O’SULLIVAN

Palestinian suicide bombers struck within seconds of each other on Tuesday, setting off explosions on two buses in Beersheba that killed at least 16 and wounded more than 100.

The deadliest attack in almost a year, the double bombing was the first major terrorist strike in nearly six months and ended what had been one of the most peaceful summers Israelis have known for years.

The relative calm had been attributed to the relentless crackdown on Palestinian terrorist groups and the security barrier that has effectively blocked infiltrations. Tuesday’s bombings near Beersheba City Hall fulfilled fears that terrorists would opt for striking in the South where there is no security fence.

Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was to avenge the assassination by Israel of its two leaders, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and his successor, Abdel Aziz Rantisi, last spring. It identified the bombers as Nassim Subhi Jabari and Ahmed Kawasmeh, both in their 20s. Kawasmeh is a relative of Imad Kawasmeh, a Hamas cell leader in Hebron.

Hamas distributed a leaflet in Hebron saying: "If you thought that the martyrdom of our leaders would weaken our missions and discourage us from jihad, then you are dreaming."

Soldiers on Tuesday night went to the homes of the bombers to question relatives, and to prepare for possible demolition.

As a further response, the IDF is expected to completely seal off Hebron and return roadblocks around the city that it had removed.

Meanwhile, the police said they will raise the countrywide terrorism alert to level C starting at 6:00 a. m. Wednesday morning. Level C is one level short of an emergency footing. The alert will remain in place until at least the end of Rosh Hashana.

Within minutes of the explosions, just before 3 p. m., the country switched to a heightened state of alert. Roadblocks were set up around the city to try and capture those who delivered the two bombers to the central bus station.

Police Southern District Cmdr. David Cohen said both buses left the central bus station at the same time and arrived together at Sderot Yitzhak Riger, a central road in the city.

The buses were about 100 meters apart on opposite sides of the junction when the first bomb went off.

Ya’acov Cohen, the driver of the second bus that was targeted, said he stopped his bus and opened the doors after he heard the first explosion behind him.

"I opened the doors, the people asked me to, and I did it immediately," he said.

Witnesses said the second bombing came about 15 seconds after the first.

"I didn’t see anyone suspicious. It came just out of the blue," said Cohen, who was lightly wounded.

"There were two horrible explosions one after the other,‘ said witness Tiki Masika, 38, who was driving in a car between the two buses. ’There were bodies hanging out of the windows and it was so eerily quiet. I got out of my car and just started running."

Twelve people died immediately at the scene and four others died later while being treated, including a three-year-old. About 100 people were wounded in the attack, including 16 children. The wounded were taken to Soroka Hospital, just a block from the site of the attack. Seven people were listed in serious condition, 23 in moderate condition, and the rest were lightly wounded.

Passenger Nissim Vaknin said he was sitting next to the man he believes was the suicide bomber, but got up to give his seat to a woman. It saved his life but cost hers.

"I’m sure that it was [the bomber]. I saw his body, he was just parts, and beside him the body of the woman I gave my spot to," Vaknin told reporters. He said the bomber was young and had long hair, possibly a wig.

Zaka (Disaster Victims Identification) reported all the fatalities were passengers on the buses. Moshe Dickstein, head of Zaka in Beersheba, said his people arrived at the scene several minutes after the explosion.

"First thing we did was take those who looked like there was still a chance to save their lives off the bus,‘ he said. ’Once we were done, we ran to the second bus and worked there, until there was no one else to rescue."

Dickstein said forensic workers would have a hard time identifying the bodies.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met with the nation’s top security chiefs at the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv on Tuesday night.

"The war against terrorism will continue without letup,‘ he said before the meeting. ’Our fight against Palestinian terrorism is not related to the progress in the disengagement plan."

German Foreign Minister Joschke Fischer, speaking from Egypt one day after his visit to Israel, called Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and expressed outrage at the attack. Shalom placed the blame squarely with Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, who, he said, "has brought nothing but terror and evil since his return to the territories."

PA cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said, "The Palestinian Authority condemns any attacks that target civilians, whether Israelis or Palestinian."

PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei also condemned the bombings, Reuters reported.

"Killing civilians, whether from the Palestinian side or from the Israeli side, will achieve nothing except hatred and more enmity and therefore we condemn that strongly," he said.

Qurei was still in Egypt, where he met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo on Monday in anticipation of Israel’s plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip.

Internal Security Minister Tzahi Hanegbi spoke to reporters at the scene following the attack. "What we have learned since the last terror attack, which happened in Ashdod on March 14, is that where there is a fence there are no terror attacks, and where there is no fence, there are terror attacks," Hanegbi said.

"The government will work as fast as it can to continue construction of the fence along the southern border of the West Bank in order to save the lives of our citizens," he added.

Israel Police Inspector-General Moshe Karadi said there were no specific terror threats for Beersheba — only general warnings.

In preparation for the opening of the school year, Karadi said that police and security forces have fortified their readiness and are on alert for attacks.

"Our preparedness for attacks will increase in anticipation of the new school year and in response to this new reality," he said.

Yitzhak Ahronovitch, CEO of Dan Buses, the company that operated the two buses, said that he is not sure whether public transportation security guards were on the targeted buses when the explosions occurred.

"We can’t have a guard on each of our buses. Obviously some buses travel with guards at certain times during the day," Ahronovitch said.

In Memoriam

• Karin Malka, 23
• Tamara Debrashivili, 70
• Aviel Atash, 3
• Emmanuel Yosefov, 28
• Denise Hadad, 40
• Shoshana Amos, 50
• Takala Tiluayint, 30
• Margarita Sokolov, 57
• Rozita Lehman, 45
• Tatiana Korchenko, 49
• Vitaly Brodsky, 52
• Nargiza Ostrovsky, 54
• Larisa Gomanenko, 48
• Eliyahu Ouzon, 58
• Roman Sokolovsky, 53
• Raisa Forer, 55

------------------------------
Back to Timeline »