Shortly after noon today, a suicide terrorist - a woman, for the first time - blew herself up in downtown Jerusalem, only dozens of meters from the site of the shooting attack only five days ago. Pinchas Tukatli, 81, was killed in the blast; one woman is reported to be in very serious condition, three were seriously hurt, and 30 are listed in moderate condition. The number of wounded climbed to 172 within a few hours, the vast majority of whom are suffering from shock.

Deputy Defense Minister Gideon Ezra said this afternoon that the fact that the terrorist was a woman “explains to some extent why the police were surprised, and two of them were even wounded.” The Prime Minister’s Office announced today that Israel will respond to the attack in accordance with Cabinet decisions, and noted that Yasser Arafat is personally responsible for the attack. The PA, for its part, said it condemned what it called the blow to “innocent citizens,” and called upon the United States to renew Gen. Anthony Zinni’s mission to the Middle East.

About an hour after the attack, Jerusalem Police Chief Mickey Levy suffered a serious heart attack, and was taken to a nearby hospital. Doctors said at first that he was in serious but stable condition; his condition is now described as “good.”

This entry was posted on Monday, January 28th, 2002 and is filed under hotnews.