Bombing at Israeli Food Stand Kills Five

October 26, 2005            Hadera, Israel

Homicide Bombing in Hadera MSNBC Video

Homicide Bombing in Hadera (Cont'd) MSNBC Video

Homicide Bombing in Hadera (Cont'd) Fox News Video

Bombing at Israeli Food Stand Kills Five
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051026/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_blast
By ARON HELLER, Associated Press Writer

HADERA, Israel - A Palestinian suicide bomber standing in line at a crowded falafel stand blew himself up Wednesday in this central Israeli town, killing five people and injuring 21, police and rescuers said.

The bombing — the first suicide attack in nearly two months — eroded hopes that Israel's Gaza pullout would revive peace talks.

Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the blast, saying it was in retaliation for the killing of a top militant leader by Israeli troops earlier this week.

"This is another link in the murderous chain of terrorism served up by the Palestinian Authority, which continues to do nothing to stop these terror attacks," said Israeli government spokesman David Baker. "The Palestinian Authority should once and for all disarm and dismantle the terror organization."

Ambulances rushed to the scene after the explosion at the falafel stand, which was next to the central bus station. Rescuers treated the wounded in a nearby field.

"Body parts reached all the way until my apartment building. The damage is really great," witness Eidan Akiva told Channel Ten TV, saying he lived 100 yards from the blast.

"All the stalls alongside just fell apart. The windows are all broken. It looks like a war was here," he said. "This is a very crowded place, very central place. We never expected that this would happen. We thought our world was good but apparently we were wrong."

Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip last month has raised hopes for a return to Mideast peacemaking after five years of bloodshed. However, the sides have failed to capitalize on the pullout's momentum, and Wednesday's bombing appeared to hurt prospects for a return to talks.