an explosion in which two people were killed overshadowed the ballot.
Two Israelis were killed in the attack near the border with the Gaza Strip in what Palestinian militant movement Islamic Jihad said was an attack designed to disrupt the country’s election.
Two civilians, a Bedouin and his child, died in the explosion near the Nahal Oz kibbutz in southern Israel Tuesday, March 28, the Arabic Aljazeera network and other news reports said.
ROCKET ATTACK
The Israeli army reportedly claimed the blast was either caused by a fresh rocket attack or a dormant rocket that exploded. Abu Bara, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad, told French News Agency AFP that his group "carried out this attack in order to disrupt the Israeli elections." He stressed we "strike [Israel] to show the world that this state is illegal and we will carry on."
Olmert stressed his Kadima party wants to make security a priority. Analysts say Olmert is likely to form a broad coalition to enable further Israeli withdrawals from Palestinian territories, which he hopes, will help to establish security and peace in the region.
Over five million Israelis were eligible to cast ballots at more than 8,000 polling stations, across the country. (With reports from Israel).
