Tel Aviv early Wednesday, April 30, just hours after Palestinian parliament confirmed a government to discuss peace.
The blast came as a major set-back for the cabinet of new Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, who denounced terrorism and said he’d rein in militant groups.
Police said a suicide bomber blew himself up in front of a seaside café called Mike’s Place around one in the morning local time, the Voice of America (VOA) network reported.
The café located on the southern edge of the city near the American Embassy is a popular night spot. Witnesses said the explosion ripped off the front of the restaurant. Police said the bomber did not manage to actually gain entry to the café and that ambulances immediately rushed to the scene.
MILITANT GROUPS
Militant groups such as Islamic Jihad and Hamas have said they would continue attacks against Israeli targets. In Washington the White House condemned the latest "homicide bombing" in Israel.
One unidentified senior administration official told the Cable News Network (CNN) there was "a good chance" the strike was meant as a signal to the new Palestinian Prime Minister after his call for an end to terror attacks and a negotiated settlement with Israel.
"There’s a good chance it was a signal to him," this official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "It is a reminder of how difficult the challenge is going to be."
"SECURITY OBLIGATIONS"
Saeb Erekat, a member of Abbas’ new cabinet, condemned the attack but said the new government was "committed to its security obligations," the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported.
"The only way to stop… this cycle of violence is by reviving a meaningful peace process," he added. Hours earlier Erekat had demanded the "immediate publication" of the Roadmap for Peace, a widely anticipated peace plan from United States President George W. Bush.
Some analysts have suggested it is unlikely the latest explosion will effect the White House time table for the roadmap.
