ASHDOD, Israel (CNN) -- Twin suicide bombings killed 11 people and wounded about 20 others Sunday in the Israeli port city of Ashdod, Israeli police said.
Eight people died at the scene and three others died later in a hospital, police said. The two bombers also died, police added.
Hours later, at least four explosions were heard early Monday in Gaza. No casualties were reported.
Residents said they saw Israeli helicopters overhead and believed the explosions were Israeli airstrikes.
Immediately after the port terror attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon canceled a meeting scheduled Tuesday with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei.
Qorei's office bureau chief, Hassan Abu Libdeh, said the cancellation was regrettable and the opposite of what is needed.
"We are expressing our sorrow at the decision to delay the meeting," Libdeh said. "We think that the best way to respond to this vicious cycle is to speed up the negotiations between the two parties."
The planned talks were an attempt to revive the so-called "road map" to Mideast peace. The plan -- backed by the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia -- calls for steps on both sides aimed at ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and establishing an independent Palestinian state by 2005.
Ashdod, about 18 miles (30 kilometers) south of Tel Aviv, is a well-trafficked and heavily guarded port for Israeli trade and is a popular recreation spot.
One blast took place inside the port, police said, and the other just outside the port.
The Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas and the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades -- a military offshoot of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement -- claimed joint responsibility for the attacks.
A fax from the two groups said the bombers came from a refugee camp in central Gaza.
Both groups are designated terrorist organizations by the U.S. State Department. The military wing of Hamas, Izzedine al Qassam, has admitted responsibility for terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians as well as attacks against the Israeli military.
Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility for a terror bombing a Jerusalem bus February 22 that killed eight people.
The Palestinian Authority condemned Sunday's bombings and called for more strident efforts "to reach an immediate mutual cease-fire so to break the vicious cycle that harms both nations."
"The Palestinian government emphasizes that the national interests of the Palestinian people demand an immediate stop of such operations that give the Israeli government the excuse to continue its attacks," said a Palestinian Authority statement.
In the wake of the February 22 bombing, Israel has launched at least four operations in Palestinian territory to target people it said were terrorists preparing to take part in future attacks on Israelis. Several Palestinians have died, including civilians.
Sharon senior adviser Ra'anan Gissen blamed Sunday's attacks on the Palestinian Authority, accusing it of not doing enough to stop Palestinian terrorists.
"If the Palestinians want to share and move forward on the road map to peace and bring about the implementation of President Bush's vision, then the first step they have to do is fight terrorism," Gissen said.
"And today they failed to do it because they haven't done it from day one since the acceptance of the road map to peace."
Exactly the wrong move there, Sharon. Should've kept on going just to give a nice "FUCK YOU" to the terrorists and show that you're more than willing for peace.
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Post 666 Made on Fri Jul 04, 2003 @ 12:48 pm
Post 1337 made on Fri Aug 22, 2003 @ 9:18 am
Post 1492 Made on Fri Aug 29, 2003 @ 5:16 pm
Xenophobe3691 wrote:Exactly the wrong move there, Sharon. Should've kept on going just to give a nice "FUCK YOU" to the terrorists and show that you're more than willing for peace.
Take into account, that if the bomber had walked another 50 meters, he would have destroyed the ports fuel and gas tanks, a far more promising target, with our shitty economy, that would have killed us (the fire).
Though the Helicopters part was stupid.
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If Sharon would quit pulling the "eye for an eye" crap and make the Palestinians seem like the savages who resorted to terrorism, the world community would support them more ferverently.
"I don't come here for the music, or even the drugs. I come here for the Family!!"-Some guy on hash at a concert
Fremen_Muhadib wrote:If Sharon would quit pulling the "eye for an eye" crap and make the Palestinians seem like the savages who resorted to terrorism, the world community would support them more ferverently.
Well, the thing is, he has a population that elected him that's out for blood every time this happens. Just look at what happened with the US and the World Trade Center. If Canada would've pulled off that attack (hypothetically), do you think we'd be treating them all that great right now?
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Post 666 Made on Fri Jul 04, 2003 @ 12:48 pm
Post 1337 made on Fri Aug 22, 2003 @ 9:18 am
Post 1492 Made on Fri Aug 29, 2003 @ 5:16 pm
Xenophobe3691 wrote:Well, the thing is, he has a population that elected him that's out for blood every time this happens.
True, but if Sharon didn't go back for revenge and instead moved for peace, it would be easy for him to explain to the Israeli people that he was sick and tired of being attacked, and that the Israeli people are better than the terrorists who are trying to jeapordize their way of life.
"I don't come here for the music, or even the drugs. I come here for the Family!!"-Some guy on hash at a concert
Xenophobe3691 wrote:Well, the thing is, he has a population that elected him that's out for blood every time this happens.
True, but if Sharon didn't go back for revenge and instead moved for peace, it would be easy for him to explain to the Israeli people that he was sick and tired of being attacked, and that the Israeli people are better than the terrorists who are trying to jeapordize their way of life.
Currently, not talking about the last election, the mood here is peace, or at least a real cease fire, at all costs.
Seriously, you got heavy right wingers willing to pull out settlements for a cease-fire.
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