Palestinian militants on Sunday opened fire on people waiting at a bus stop in northern Israel, killing three police and rescue officials said. Police shot and killed the assailants. The attack, which occurred hours after an Israeli soldier was killed in a drive-by shooting, came as Israel was poised to begin withdrawing from Palestinian-controlled areas in the West Bank. Israel seized the areas 10 days ago in an operation intended to prevent further attacks on Israelis. Despite the shootings in Hadera, the withdrawal would likely go ahead from Bethlehem and nearby Beit Jalla, as long as those towns remained calm, said Raanan Gissin, an aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
“But he said the attack didn't create the kind of atmosphere to let us continue implementing the withdrawals.”
“In terms of the withdrawal, if there will be a complete cease-fire in the area of Bethlehem and Beit Jalla, if that is taken care of, it's likely that we will execute what we have committed to do,” he said. Witnesses said that a Palestinian gunman got out of a car and opened fire at random at the Israelis. Plainclothes police detectives shot and killed the gunman and another Palestinian who remained in the car. An eyewitness told Israel Army radio she could see the body of one of the gunmen lying on President Street in a pool of blood, with an automatic rifle beside him. The militant Palestinian Islamic jihad group claimed responsibility for the attack in a videotaped message.
Rescue workers and hospital officials said that two Israelis were killed and four were seriously wounded.
Bureau Report