Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Tel Aviv bus #bombing, 1 suspect in Tel Aviv bus bomb seized, 1 being sought


 Live: Report - 1 suspect in Tel Aviv bus bomb seized, 1 being sought  |    
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7:03 AM - 21 Nov 12 · Details

Gaza Live Coverage: Israel Rejects Ceasefire and Maintains Assault


        
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Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 10:26 | Scott Lucas in , 
Tel Aviv bus struck by an explosion today
1107 GMT: Despite earlier reports from journalists pointing to unofficial claims of responsibility for the Tel Aviv bus bomb (see 1045 GMT), no official confirmation has come from Hamas or Islamic Jihad --- a Hamas spokesperson told Al Jazeera English, "This is a natural result of Israel's aggression" and "If Israel continues to attack, all options are on the table":.
1100 GMT: Journalist Barak Ravid claims one suspect in the Tel Aviv bus bomb has been apprehended:
Al Jazeera English reports from police sources that a package was left on the bus by "one or two men".
1051 GMT: Haaretz reports, "None seriously wounded in Tel Aviv blast. Only moderate to light injuries."
Activist Amir Kopty posts a slightly different report:
1045 GMT: The BBC's Paul Danahar reports:
And CNN's Ben Wedeman sends a parallel report:
Police in Tel Aviv are diverting traffic from an area where they suspect there may be another explosive.
1027 GMT: Micky Rosenfeld, an Israeli police spokesman, said at least three people are "moderately or severely" wounded in the Tel Aviv bus explosion. "We believe it was a terrorist attack", he says, saying it is unclear if the explosion was a device on the bus or caused by a suicide bomber.
The Tel Aviv ambulance services says there are "no fatalities" so far.
Reuters reports celebratory gunfire in Gaza City when local radio stations reported the explosion.
The last bomb in Tel Aviv was in April 2006, when a Palestinian suicide bomber killed 11 people at a sandwich stand near the city's old central bus station.
1018 GMT: Haaretz now reports at least 15 people wounded in the Tel Aviv bus blast, with police calling the explosion on Shaul Hamelech Street "terror-related".
The bus was near the Israel Defense Forces headquarters at the time of the attack:
1015 GMT: Reports are coming in of a bus explosion in Israel:
0945 GMT: Israeli airstrikes have reportedly destroyed the home of Issam al-Dailies, personal advisor to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.
The home of a Gaza bank director and former Minister has also been hit.
The Israel Defense Forces say an Israeli home has been hit by a Gazan rocket, with no casualties.
0915 GMT: There was an overnight flutter when Israel Defense Forces spokesman Avital Leibovich put out Israeli casualty figures which were much higher than we have noted:
The explanation? Leibovich was a bit sweeping in her definition of casualties: only 1 of the wounded was severely injured while 82 were suffering from "trauma" or "stress".
0905 GMT: Israeli media are reporting that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, currently meeting the Palestinian Authority's Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank, will return to West Jerusalem for a second round of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Defense Ehud Barak, and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
Clinton and Abbas at their meeting (Photo: Alaa Badarneh/EPA):
0855 GMT: Maan News Agency claims one Gazan has been killed and three wounded in an Israeli airstrike on the Jabaliya refugee camp in Gaza City.
0805 GMT: Haaretz posts a detailed account of the Israeli twists and turns leading to last night's rejection of a ceasefire by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A "senior Israeli official" puts out the line for the rejection:
The latest draft compiled by Egyptian intelligence officials wasn't [favourable to] Israel...The Egyptians adopted Hamas' stances on some points, especially with regards to everything doing with opening border crossings, loosening the blockade, and annulling the 500-meter security zone on Gaza's side of the border, to which Israel bars the entrance of Palestinians.
Far more interesting, however, is the revelation that Minister of Defense Minister Ehud Barak favoured acceptance of the Egyptian proposals, while Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman argued that Israel "can't back down on essential issues".
Israel had told Egypt that it was interested in a cease-fire based on the "quiet-for-quiet" principle, in which rocket fire and attacks against Israeli troops along the border would cease in return for a halt to Israeli airstrikes and assassinations. However, West Jeruslam would retain the right to take military action "to thwart nefarious operations".
During the second stage of the process, Israel would be willing to open talks with Egypt on Hamas' demands, especially loosening of the blockage on Gaza and opening of border crossings. Israel would require that Egypt give assurances to prevent smuggling of arms into Gaza.
0755 GMT: The BBC's Paul Danahar posts a picture of the aftermath of an Israeli attack:
Posted by Robby Ball at 3:11 AM