At least one person was killed and 13 others injured in two explosions at bus stops in the greater Jerusalem area. A spokesman for the Zaka rescue service confirmed on Wednesday that a man had succumbed to his injuries in hospital. The police spoke of the suspicion of a combined attack. In the past there have been repeated attacks by militant Palestinian organizations in Jerusalem. Outgoing Prime Minister Jair Lapid wanted to hold an emergency meeting with police and military leaders at noon.
The first explosion occurred at a bus stop on the outskirts of the city, injuring eleven people. Shortly after, there were reports of another explosion at a bus stop in Ramot, north of the city. Rescue workers took care of three injured people there. The police blocked the expressway to Tel Aviv because of the explosion on the outskirts of the city. The search for suspects is ongoing, police said.
The Israeli MP Joav Ben-Zur from the strictly religious Shas party spoke of a “return to the horror and the difficult and bloody days of the second Palestinian uprising Intifada”. Israel’s deterrent power is hardly existent anymore. “Every day terror rears its head again,” he said.
A wave of terrorism has killed 18 people in Israel since March. Also this year, several Israeli civilians and security forces were killed in attacks in the West Bank. Since the spring, Israel’s army has also been carrying out increased raids in the occupied West Bank. According to the Ministry of Health, more than 140 Palestinians have been killed this year in connection with military operations, in clashes or in their own attacks. There are also increasing reports of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, Israeli activists or soldiers.
