Two Palestinian suicide bombers killed 22 people when they blew themselves up Sunday evening in southern Tel Aviv.
Three Palestinian groups - Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades - claimed responsibility for the bombings. The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades named the bombers as Tamir al-Nuri and Buraq Khalifa from the city of Nablus.
Seventeen bodies, including those of the bombers, were recovered at the scene, police said. Another seven people died of their wounds in hospital. Of the first 15 bodies identified, 11 were Israelis and four were migrant workers who live in the area.
Israel's security cabinet has reportedly given the green light to army proposals for retaliation after the bombing attack in Tel Aviv.
Israeli army radio said the mini-cabinet has decided to "intensify the anti-terrorist fight", including strikes against Palestinian activists.
Additionally, the mini-cabinet decided to prevent Palestinian delegates from attending two separate conferences, close three Islamic academies, restrict the movements of Palestinian leaders and lessen Palestinian vehicular traffic.
Palestinians will not be permitted to attend the PLO central council meeting scheduled for Thursday in Ramallah, held in order to approve the PLO constitution, while a Palestinian delegation will not be allowed to attend a London conference on January 14 to discuss Palestinian Authority reforms.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw asked Israel's Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reconsider the decision in a telephone conversation early Monday afternoon, but Netanyahu was not receptive.
However, the Israeli cabinet rejected a call at the emergency meeting from Netanyahu for Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat to be exiled.
Several hours after the attacks in Tel Aviv, Israeli helicopter gunships fired missiles at Gaza City, after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon summoned an emergency cabinet meeting. Palestinian security sources told AFP the buildings targetted were two metal workshops. Eight people were slightly injured. The Israeli military said the workshops were used for making weapons, including mortars and rockets.
Israeli tanks also carried out incursions into Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Palestinians said Israeli forces destroyed a house belonging to an Islamic Jihad leader in this city. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
