Jerusalem: Twin Blasts Kill 1, Injure Several
Two bombs went off near bus stations close to Jerusalem entrances during peak commuter hour on Wednesday morning, killing an Israeli-Canadian teenager and injuring about 22 others, including two critically and two seriously.
Facts
- Two bombs went off near bus stations close to Jerusalem entrances during peak commuter hour on Wednesday morning, killing an Israeli-Canadian teenager and injuring about 22 others, including two critically and two seriously.
- The bombs reportedly contained nails to exert maximum damage and were detonated remotely via mobile phone. Parts of the main road linking Jerusalem and Tel Aviv were temporarily closed as police searched for other explosives, and two crossings into the West Bank were shut.
- Police began a nationwide manhunt for those responsible, with senior security officials stating that this kind of attack hasn't been seen for years, and stressing the "high quality" of the explosive charges hidden in bushes behind bus stations.
- A spokesman for the Gaza-based Palestinian group Hamas lauded the attack, but didn't claim responsibility for the explosions, which resemble the bus bombings seen during the Palestinian uprising of 2000-05.
- This comes after national elections gave former Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu the opportunity to return to office. He is holding coalition talks with right-wing lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir, who stated that this incident shows that a tougher stance on Palestinian violence is needed.
- Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have been mounting since last year, with incidents of violence claiming the lives of more than 225 people as attacks against Palestinians have increased in parallel with attacks against Israeli citizens.
Sources: Times of Israel, Guardian, Haaretz, Reuters, Associated Press, and Al Jazeera.
Narratives
- Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. This senseless attack is another example of Palestinian terrorism taking innocent Israeli lives. A 16-year-old boy is now dead simply because he was Jewish. The nation's security forces and intelligence agencies, however, won't stop until those responsible are brought to justice.
- Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. While this is indeed a tragic incident, Israelis who have experienced this disaster are not even close to understanding what Palestinians face every day in the West Bank, where occupation forces have killed over 140 Palestinians so far this year. Israel is not free of blame.
