In the first attack after Israel evacuated settlers from 25 Jewish settlements on occupied land, a Palestinian yesterday blew himself up near a bus station in Beersheba, injuring dozens of people, two of them seriously. Twelve hours after the blast, two groups â the Al-Aqsa Martyrsâ Brigades linked to Fatah and Al-Quds Brigades of Islamic Jihad â jointly claimed responsibility for the attack. The groups identified the bomber as Alaa Zaakik, 25, from Beit Omar, which lies between Bethlehem and Hebron in the West Bank.
 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the bombing as a âterror attackâ and called on Israel to show restraint. âWe condemn such attacks. We donât accept them, and we call on everyone to refrain from retaliation,â he said. In a statement, the official WAFA news agency quoted Abbas as linking the bombing to Israelâs raid on the Tulkarm refugee camp last week, killing five Palestinians. Abbas said a February truce must be maintained âdespite all the Israeli provocations.â |