At least eight killed as Palestinian rams bus into Israelis

Most of the casualties were soldiers waiting at a hitchhiking post south of Tel Aviv for lifts to their army bases. Seven people died in the ramming, and one died in hospital. Three of the wounded, women soldiers, were in critical condition with injuries to the head, chest and stomach. One of the wounded was in serious condition, two were in medium condition, and the rest received light injuries.

The driver drove off after the ramming, chased by police cars and a helicopter. He collided with a truck and was trapped in the bus. Reports said he was injured and was taken into custody. Police sealed off the area nearby and began an operation to discover if the bus contained explosives. Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon said the incident proved Palestinians did not distinguish between isolated Israeli settlements in the occupied territories, and between Israeli territory.

In remarks quoted by Israel Radio Sharon said he viewed the incident "with the utmost gravity" and said restoring security to Israeli citizens would be "the fist and most important goal" of the new government. The Israeli Itim news agency quoted a senior official of the Palestinian Fatah movement as saying that Israel could expect no less than the attack Wednesday morning, due its acts against the Palestinians.

He told the news agency that the attack was a response to Israel's assassination Tuesday of Massud Ayyad, a senior officer in the elite Force 17 Presidential Guard. A spokesman for the Egged bus company said the driver was a Palestinian driving day-labourers from the Gaza Strip into Israel. The spokesman said the 35-year-old driver had worked for the company for 5 years, and had passed all necessary security checks.

(la/dpa)