International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, Nov. 20, 2002

Jerusalem’s latest suicide bus bombing, which claimed eleven lives many of them school children, has provoked angry reactions from politicians in Israel and abroad.

Speaking at the NATO summit in Prague, US President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke jointly of their shock at what Blair termed Israel’s "latest terrorist outrage."

"We mourn the loss of life," said Bush. "It remains the United State's goal to see two independent states -Israel and Palestine - living side-by-side in peace."

Less than four hours after a 26-year-old man believed to be from Bethlehem blew himself up on the number 20 rush hour bus in a suburb of west Jerusalem -- all signs of the wreckage had been removed, but the resentment was clear.

"Palestinian terrorists continue to cling to the bloodshed agenda and they are satisfied only when innocent Israeli lives are taken," said Government spokesman David Baker.

"No country can tolerate this kind of action," Sharon’s spokesman Avi Patner added.

At the scene of the explosion itself, outspoken Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert, pinned the blame squarely on Yasser Arafat’s Palestinian Authority, dismissing reports that the bombing was timed to disrupt the Israeli elections.

"The bombing's not going to stop as long as Yasser Arafat wants it to continue," Olmert said. "He wants to cover the political process in Israel in blood."

Chief Palestinian Negotiator, Saeb Erakat, responded sharply to the accusations, with the now-familiar phraseology that has previously failed to impress the Israelis.

"We condemn this attack as we condemn all attacks against Palestinian and Israeli civilians, he state"d, emphasizing that "in the last 24 hours, nine Palestinians have been killed at the hands of the Israeli army."

Although those figures are hard to verify, it is known that as many as 7 Palestinians have died in armed confrontations with Israeli Security Forces or evading capture.

The leader of Islamic militant group Hamas said there was no reason for suicide attacks to be stopped.

"Such operations must go on," Abdul Aziz Rantissi told the Arabic TV station al-Jazeera, adding that the "vast majority" of Palestinians supported them. Another Hamas spokesperson labeled such attacks "legitimate action," calling on the international community to put pressure on Israel to "withdraw" from Palestinian areas not the PA to "reform," or crack down on the bombings.

"Every time I come to such a site," Mayor Olmert continued standing next to the bus wreckage. "I can't escape the thought that a living person entered the bus, and he saw the young kid of 6, 7 years old sitting, and he blows him apart. This is something that you have to see to understand how terrible it is."

On the street following the incident, groups of residents and relatives gathered and echoed the growing sense of despair, believing no Israeli politician -- from right or left can promise "security."

Nevertheless Olmert defended security forces who he claims have prevented an average of 10 such terror attacks every night for months. On Wednesday night less just hours before Thursday’s deadly attack, the army arrested two Tanzim activists from Bethlehem, planning yet another suicide bombing.