Islamic Jihad claims responsibility for Israeli bombing

An official from the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for Friday night’s attack at a Tel Aviv nightclub.

Four people died, dozens more were injured and tens of thousands of people’s hopes for peace were severely dented. There was confusion over who carried out the suicide bombing. Initially Islamic Jihad admitted to it, then later denied it before this latest claim of responsibility. Earlier it had appeared the Palestinian leadership was keen to blame Lebanon’s Hizbollah guerrillas with a security official indicating their involvement. It is a body blow for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who had been making progress on reviving the so-called road map peace plan. Israel has demanded Palestinian action instead of more talks to woo armed groups, saying Abbas was wrong to think he could coax militants from their de facto truce into a formal ceasefire. In the West Bank village where the suicide bomber is said to have lived, Palestinian police arrested three men while Israeli troops detained another five. The bomber’s family announced through loudspeakers that he had carried out a so-called “martyrdom operation”.

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