A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up at a bus stop on Sunday, killing a doctor and wounding 41 people in a rush-hour blast that again brought the Palestinian uprising to the heart of Israel. In a statement faxed to Reuters in Jerusalem, a Palestinian group, The Popular Army Front-Return Batallions, claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed the bomber and Israeli doctor Mario Goldin, 53. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said the Palestinian Authority bore overall responsibility for the attack because it had failed to rein in militant groups that have pledged to send suicide bombers into the Jewish state. Israeli helicopters flew over Gaza City after nightfall, witnesses said, raising fears among residents of an Israeli retaliatory attack. On Saturday evening Israeli and Palestinian security officials met at the Gaza border to discuss security coordination to prevent unrest from widening, but apparently made little progress.
Suicide bombings are the weapon of choice of Islamic militant groups.
Human bombs may be poor and driven by a desire to avenge the killing or injury of a relative or friend. They believe they will be martyrs treated to an idyllic after-life. Guerrilla groups say there is no shortage of recruits. The group claimed responsibility last month for a suicide bombing in Jerusalem that wounded 22 Israelis on March 27. Violence in the past week also has included Palestinian mortar bomb attacks and Israel's first major incursions into Palestinian-run Gaza since the uprising started last September with the breakdown of peace talks.