ENN Special Report 03/21/97 - 09:40CST
Bomb Explodes at Cafe in
Central Tel Aviv
By C. L. Staten, ERRI
Senior Analyst
Tel Aviv, Israel (ENN) -- According to Police Chief Assaf Chafetz, an major explosion occurred today at approximately 13:40 (Israeli time) in central Tel Aviv. The incident, which took place at the Apropos Restaurant near the intersection of Ben Gurion, Rinis and Adam HaCohen Streets, is said to have taken at least three lives and wounded another 45 people.
Eyewitnesses tell ENN that an unidentified man, carrying two bags, entered the outdoor cafe and shortly thereafter the blast detonated. Further identification of the man has not been accomplished at the time of this report.
Victims of the blast were transported to Ischilov, Tel Hashomer, and Beilinson hospitals by Israeli EMS units. Their injuries were described as ranging from light shrapnel wounds, to severe burns and concussion injuries. Some of the victims were described as needing emergency surgery.
No official claim of responsibility has been received in regard to the Tel Aviv bombing, but there are unofficial reports that the act was a suicide bombing, carried out by a members of of Hamas.
Incidents of violence have also been reported in the "old quarter" of Jerusalem, in Hebron, and at the site of new construction in Har Choma. At least one IDF soldier was hurt by a firebomb thrown at him by a mob. Four other soldiers were reported hurt in a Hebron incident.
IDF and police bomb squads are reportedly also very busy, with reported "devices" in Jerusalem, Raanana, and Ramat HaSharon. It is unknown if any of these "suspicious packages" are actual explosive devices. One suspected device was either disarmed or confirmed as being a fake near the Golani Junction in N. Israel.
A constant stream of reports from Israeli correspondents describe the violence as "escalating" and say that the feared "intifada" may have returned to the beleaguered country. It would appear that the terrorism predicted by Israeli military and intelligence sources has come to pass.
ENN continues to monitor the situation and will provide updates as more becomes available.
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1997. All rights reserved. May not be redistributed without
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