Palestinian Officials Unable to Control Terrorism - 2002-09-19

Israeli tanks have fired towards the headquarters of Yasser Arafat, the head of the Palestinian Authority, in the city of Ramallah in the West Bank. The headquarters of Yasser Arafat came under siege by Israeli forces after a Palestinian carried out a suicide bombing today, detonating a bomb strapped to himself on a bus in central Tel Aviv, resulting in 6 deaths and approximately 60 injuries. The suicide attack occurred during peak hours on a crowded bus in the commercial area of Tel Aviv. President Bush condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the victims. Reports indicate that two Palestinian militant groups, Islamic Jihad and Hamas, have claimed responsibility for the attack. Israeli officials hold the Palestinian Authority responsible for the attack, stating that Palestinian officials have failed to control terrorism. The Palestinian Authority has also issued a statement condemning the attack on civilians. On Wednesday, a Palestinian detonated a bomb strapped to himself near a bus station in northern Israel, resulting in the death of one police officer and injuring at least two others. Islamic Jihad also claimed responsibility for yesterday's attack, which ended a six-week hiatus in suicide bombings.