Israeli authorities probing the Tuesday suicide bombings that killed 15 people near an army base in central Israel and at a Jerusalem cafe have traced both attacks to the Hamas network in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Haaretz reported Wednesday.
Hamas overnight issued an announcement praising the bombings, but stopped short of claiming responsibility.
The bombers were both residents of Rantis village northwest of Ramallah, near the border between Israel and the West Bank. Both were students at Bir Zeit University, and
the two attacks appear to have been coordinated in advance, Israel media reported.
Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom were informed of the second bombing during a special meeting of senior defense authorities convened to discuss the earlier attack near Tel Aviv.
Israel is expected to expand its operations in the Palestinian territories following the two attacks,
military sources said, according to the Israeli newspaper.
Army Radio reported Wednesday that operations aimed at assassination or arrest of Palestinian activists would continue, but that no decision had yet been made on a proposed major ground push into the Gaza Strip. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
