Car bomb hits Jerusalem

Soldiers inspect the wrecked car

At least three people have been injured in Jerusalem in an explosion which police believe was caused by a car bomb.

It's not safe to live in this country - this could happen to you on the street, in your house

Hanna Thron
Jerusalem resident

The city has been the target for a number of car bomb attacks since the current unrest began last September.

Tension between Israelis and Palestinians has increased after the Israeli army ordered Palestinian residents to evacuate a district in the West Bank town of Hebron on Monday night, following the shooting of a Jewish baby.

The Jerusalem explosion occurred in a shopping centre in the Talpiot neighbourhood in the south of the city at about 0740 local time (0540 GMT).

"We are speaking of an explosion in a Citroen, apparently stolen," a city police spokesman is reported as saying.

The car was destroyed and shop windows shattered. Of the three injured, at least one was on a bus passing through the area as the bomb went off.

Police have sealed off the area and Israeli radio said several suspects had been arrested.

The AFP news agency, reporting out of Beirut, said the radical Palestinian group Islamic Jihad had claimed reponsibility for the attack.

The blast occurred at a quiet time, early morning

The BBC's Jeremy Cooke in Jerusalem says Israelis will be relieved that the bomb exploded early in the morning, before the area became busy with shoppers.

But he says they will also be concerned that the bombers managed to plant the device, despite a widespread security clampdown designed to stop such incidents.

Baby 'targeted'

On Monday, the Israeli army said a Palestinian sniper had deliberately targeted the baby of a Jewish settler in the the West Bank town of Hebron.

It is a cold-blooded murder, there is no other word for it, because there was no provocation on our behalf

Israeli army commander Noam Tibon

Ten-month-old Shalhevet Hass died after being hit in the head by two bullets. Her father, who was holding her at the time, was seriously injured.

Palestinian cabinet minister Yasser Abed Rabbo told the Reuters news agency there was no evidence the baby was killed by Palestinian fire.

Retaliation

After the baby's death, Israeli troops in Hebron shelled the Palestinian district of Abu Sneineh.

Reports said tanks and army jeeps poured into Hebron late on Monday, lining up between Jewish and Palestinian areas.

"It is a cold-blooded murder, there is no other word for it, because there was no provocation on our behalf," Israeli army commander Noam Tibon told the AFP news agency.

Hebron is frequently a flashpoint for violence between the 400 militant Jewish settlers who live in heavily guarded enclaves in the city centre, surrounded by 100,000 Palestinians.

The shooting of the baby girl occurred during a day of clashes throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip between Israelis and Palestinians.

Attempts to resuscitate the infant continued under heavy gunfire and a helicopter was sent to the area to evacuate the casualties.

The Hass family

But the girl, who had been shot twice in the head, died at the scene.

Our correspondent says this incident will certainly shock public opinion across Israel.

It presents a challenge to the new Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who was elected promising Israelis peace with security.

Elsewhere in the West Bank and Gaza, at least 10 Palestinians were reported to have been wounded on Monday in separate clashes that erupted as Arab leaders prepared for a summit on Tuesday in Jordan.

The summit will focus on the crisis in the Palestinian territories.

More than 400 people have been killed since the uprising began, nearly 350 of them Palestinian, including dozens of children. More than 60 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have died.