NETANYA, Israel (AP) - A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up Monday among shoppers waiting to enter a shopping mall in the central Israeli town of Netanya, killing at least five bystanders and wounding more than 30.
The bombing escalated already heightened tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, marked by recent airstrikes and rocket attacks. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was to discuss a response Tuesday morning with his Security Cabinet.
Security commanders will recommend that Israel carry out targeted killings of militant leaders in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, clamp down on the Tulkarem area where the bomber originated and seal off the West Bank and Gaza, security officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas quickly condemned the bombing.
Islamic Jihad, a militant group that has carried out several suicide bombings in recent months, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was retaliation for Israeli targeted killings of the group's leaders.
Police said the bomber blew himself up as he was about to undergo a random security check at the mall's entrance. Avi Sasson, deputy police commander in the northern region, said guards and police officers spotted the man carrying a suspicious bag and pushed him up against a wall.
``I was looking him in the eye and he pressed (the button) and blew up. I flew and all I remember is that I was looking in his eye, I saw his gaze,' policewoman Shoshi Attia told Israel Radio.
The blast shattered windows and pocked the outside of the brown, multistory building. Pieces of concrete were ripped off the facade, blood stained the base of the building and debris was scattered on the sidewalk.
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