TEL AVIV (voa) – Israeli police say a car bomb attack on a bus in northern Israel has killed up to 14 people and left many more wounded, some critically. They say the car bomb exploded next to the bus as it pulled into stop near the town of Megiddo, several kilometers from the border with the West Bank. The bus burst into flames and was completely gutted by fire.
Witnesses say some passengers were trapped alive in the burning bus.
There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which occurred during the morning rush hour Wednesday. It comes one day after Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat – responding to growing U.S. pressure to end terrorist attacks – outlined a plan to streamline his nine separate security forces.
Mr. Arafat presented the plan at a meeting Tuesday with George Tenet, the head of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
Under the plan, the number of security forces would be reduced to somewhere between three to six, with Mr. Arafat remaining the overall Palestinian security chief.
A U.S. official says Washington will withhold judgment until it sees if the plan halts terrorist attacks.
Palestinian sources say Mr. Arafat also stressed the need for an end to Israeli raids into Palestinian self-rule territory.
