A bomb exploded at a crowded bus stop Wednesday in central Jerusalem, killing one woman and wounding 38 in what appeared to be the first militant attack in the city in several years.The blast could be heard throughout Jerusalem and blew out the windows of two crowded buses.No one claimed responsibility for the bombing, which coincided with an upsurge of violence on the Gaza border that has led to fears of a new war between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip. Israeli police blamed Palestinian militants, calling the blast a "terrorist" attack.
Israel's public security minister, Yitzhak Aharonovich, told Channel 2 TV that the bomb was about four pounds (one to two kilograms) and was planted in a small bag on the sidewalk. He said security services were on alert for additional attacks.
The 3 p.m. attack occurred near the main entrance to Jerusalem, next to the city's central bus station, an area that is crowded with travelers and passers-by at all hours of the day.The blast reverberated throughout Jerusalem and blew out the windows of two crowded buses. Rescuers removed bloodied people from the area on stretchers, as sirens from speeding ambulances wailed in the background.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said the city would rebound quickly, vowing that Jerusalem's first-ever marathon would take place as planned on Friday."Every once in a while we are reminded who we are dealing with, a bunch of cowardly terrorists that put bombs in the middle of pedestrians," he said.
"They will very soon find out that the city goes back to normal life and this is the best way to deal with terror – to show them that they have no gain from hurting innocent people."
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