Israeli Children Injured in Bus Blast
J E R U S A L E M, Nov. 20 -- Israel prepared to mount retaliatory attacks today after a bomb exploded near an armored bus transporting Israeli children and their teachers in the Gaza Strip. Two adults were killed and nine passengers wounded, including at least five children, Israeli radio reported.
The new civilian deaths increased the pressure on Israeli PrimeMinister Ehud Barak to retaliate harshly — something he has said hewas trying to avoid in order to keep the door open to a resumptionof peace talks after seven weeks of Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Hospitals in southern Israel said the children, described as first graders, were badly injured. The bomb exploded about 70 yards from the bus.
Shrapnel from the blast — caused by a 122 mm mortar shellattached to a detonator — tore melon-sized holes into a side of thered-and-white bus and shattered windows. The words “This is whatwe get for restraint,” were spraypainted in Hebrew on the busafter the explosion, which occurred on a road between Jewishsettlements in Gaza.
One adult and one child were in serious condition. Army officials said the armor of the bus and the considerable distance between the explosion and the bus helped blunt the impact of the attack.
Most injuries were to the lower limbs, the hospitals said. One of the dead was Miriam Amitai, 35, a mother of four and resident of the Kfar Darom settlement. A settler spokesman today said her funeral would be held this afternoon at the Ofra settlement.
Israel Approves Military Response
Barak’s security Cabinet today approved attacks against Palestinian “military” targets in retaliation for the bombing, Israeli TV reported.
It said the security Cabinet had given the go-ahead for“selective attacks,” tougher economic sanctions on thePalestinians and a tightening of an Israeli militaryencirclement of Palestinian cities.
Nachman Shai, a spokesman for Barak, said militants inPalestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s Fatah faction were behind the first fatal bombing of settlers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip since a wave of violence began almost two months ago.
