Israel’s Cabinet today denounced Friday’s bombing of a street leading to the Western Wall in Old Jerusalem as security officials planned measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Six persons, including an Arab man and an Arab child, were injured when three 10-pound bombs exploded in rapid succession in the 16-foot-wide Share el Wad (Street of the Valley). The bombs detonated at 7:15 p.m. local time. Only an hour earlier the street was thronged with Orthodox Jews making their way to the Wall for evening prayers.
A statement issued by the Cabinet described the bombing as “a dastardly act carried out by saboteurs against women and children who come in the thousands to pray on the Sabbath at the holiest place to the Jewish nation.” Gen. Moshe Dayan, the Defense Minister, accompanied by senior military officials visited the area yesterday to plan security measures.
Israeli sources said none of the injured persons was seriously hurt. Two American tourists, girls in their early 20s, were treated for shock. They were identified as Andrea Blatt of Pacific Palisades, Cal. and Marie Frolich of Los Angeles. There were about 2,000 Jews praying at the Wall when the bombs went off in the nearby street. Police cleared the area as ambulances removed the injured. A short while later security officials declared the area safe and the worshippers returned. A search was launched for the terrorists. Thirty-six Arabs were arrested in the vicinity. Nine were released yesterday and the rest remained in custody.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
