A bomb exploded on a bus in southern Israel today injuring 27 people, 14 of whom were hospitalized with injuries described as light to moderate. Four required surgery. The bus, carrying Israeli workers from Kiryat Gat to Beersheba, had just dropped off about 50 Arab workers from the West Bank at Kiryat Got.
Police promptly rounded up the Arabs who were passengers on the bus for questioning. They are trying to determine the nature of the explosives used. It is believed the bomb had a timing device since the explosion occurred 10 minutes after the Arab passengers had alighted. The bombing was the first terrorist incident of its kind in Israel in several months.
Police Minister Shlomo Hillel warmed this evening that this could be the harbinger of terrorist trouble during the election campaign buildup. Hillel urged Israelis to maintain a high level of wariness, especially in view of the fact that terrorist assaults had eased off during recent months.
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