Post by Salem6 on Jan 29, 2004 7:38:46 GMT
At least eight people are reported to have been killed in a suspected suicide bomb attack on a bus in west Jerusalem.
Dozens were also injured in the blast which was detonated not far from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's residence.
Mr Sharon was believed not to have been at the residence at the time of the bombing, political sources said.
The blast comes as Israel prepares to exchange prisoners with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, including hundreds of Palestinian militants.
It is not clear whether the blast will have any bearing on the prisoner swap.
No group has yet said it carried out the suspected attack.
The explosion happened just before 0900 (0700 GMT) in the Rehavia district, about 100 metres from the prime minister's official residence.
Witnesses said the explosion tore apart the bus, shattering windows. The last suicide attack in Israel took place on 25 December near Tel Aviv.
Video:-
The BBC's David Chazan
"There was an explosion believed to have been caused by a suicide bomber"news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39795000/rm/_39795953_bomb07_chazan_vi.ram