Israel Mourns Bus Bomb Victims

A Palestinian man wearing a bomb belt blew himself up Thursday on a Jerusalem city bus packed with high school students and soldiers during morning rush hour, killing 11 passengers and himself, and wounding dozens.

Seven of those killed were adults and four were youngsters, police said.

Two militant Islamic groups claimed responsibility: Islamic Jihad and Hamas. The bomber came from Bethlehem, Israel confirmed, raising the possibility Israel might retake the West Bank town from which it withdrew in August.

The town has been mostly quiet since then, under a commitment by Palestinian police to prevent attacks.

School books, a back pack and shattered glass littered the street, reports CBS News Correspondent Robert Berger. Rescue workers, wearing white plastic jackets and gloves, had the gruesome task of removing bodies from the seats and picking up body parts.

Schoolchildren gathered at the scene of the bombing, and Berger overheard one say "If I had been here just 20 minutes earlier, that could have been me on the bus."

A woman, who apparently had a child on the bus, wept in anguish nearby.

Israel is blaming Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for the attack. "He is the guy that inspires, orchestrates and finances the operations ... and who gives the political and logistical support for the killers," Jerusalem mayor Ehud Olmert told CBS News at the scene.

The assailant, wearing a bomb belt around his waist, set off the explosives in the middle of the bus at about 7:10 a.m. (11:10 p.m. EST Wednesday) as it was stopped in Jerusalem's residential Kiryat Menachem neighborhood, police said.

Islamic militants said attacks would continue, despite efforts by Egypt and the Palestinian Authority to negotiate a freeze in attacks at least until Israel's Jan. 28 election. A continuation of bombings and shootings — there have been scores in the past 26 months of fighting — would strengthen Israel's right-wing parties.

President Bush said he was "greatly disturbed" by the terror attack in Israel, reports CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller. He said it shows that those who want to use terror to abort the peace process are still active. Speaking to reporters before the start of the NATO summit, Mr. Bush said all countries in the Middle East must do their best to combat terrorism.

Mr. Bush said it remained the United States' goal to see two independent states — Israel and Palestine — living side-by-side in peace.

The assailant, wearing a bomb belt around his waist, set off the explosives in the middle of the bus at about 7:10 a.m. as it was stopped in Jerusalem's residential Kiryat Menachem neighborhood, police said.

Maor Kimche, 15, said he had just boarded the bus when the blast went off. "Suddenly, it was black and smoky. There were people on the floor. Everything was bloody. There was glass everywhere and body parts," Kimche said.

The 10th grader who had been en route to school in downtown Jerusalem jumped out of a bus window and was scooped up by a tax driver who took him to nearby Hadassah Hospital. Kimche was lightly injured in the left leg.

The youngster said the bus was crowded with high school students, soldiers and elderly passengers. He said he'd ride the bus again once he was well. "How else will I get to school?" he asked.

Israeli police identified the bomber as Nael Abu Hilail, 23.

Abu Hilail's father, Azmi, said he was pleased with his son. "Our religion says we are proud of him until the day of resurrection," Abu Hilail said. "This is a challenge to the Zionist enemies."

He said Israeli troops had arrested another son and a nephew soon after the bombing.

Several of Nael Abu Hilail's friends said he was a supporter of Islamic Jihad, and the group claimed responsibility for the bombing in a leaflet. However, Hamas also took responsibility in a statement on its website.

Raanan Gissin, an adviser to Sharon, said the attack was proof that even efforts to bring about a limited truce and withdraw from some Palestinian areas appeared futile. "All our efforts to hand over areas ... and all the talk about a possible cease-fire, that was all window dressing because on the ground there was a continuous effort to carry out as many terrorist activities (as possible)," Gissin said.

Gissin accused the Palestinian Authority of assisting the attackers.

Ghassan Khatib, the Palestinian labor minister, held Israel responsible, saying Sharon's strikes against militants provoked more Palestinian attacks. "Sharon and his policies are responsible for the continuation of violence," he said.

Ismail Abu Shanab, a leader of the Islamic militant Hamas group, said that "the Palestinian people are determined to continue the resistance until we liberate our land." However, he stopped short of claiming responsibility on behalf of Hamas.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, with the help of Egypt, has been trying to persuade Hamas to stop attacks, at least during Israel's election campaign. A first round of talks in Cairo ended inconclusively, but both sides had said negotiations would continue. Islamic Jihad has not participated in the talks.

The Israeli army has enforced stringent travel restrictions on Palestinians in the past 26 months of fighting, and has reoccupied most West Bank towns in an attempt to stop the attacks. However, Israeli security officials say they continue to receive dozens of warnings every day about planned attacks.

Israel's range of responses is restricted by the possibility of a U.S. strike against Iraq. Several Israeli hard-line leaders have called for Arafat's expulsion in retaliation for bombings, but such a step is sharply opposed by Washington, which is eager to maintain the support of moderate Arab governments.