Suicide Bomber Kills Self and 3 Others in Israel

It’s been nine months since a bombing in Israel, now suddenly without warning a Palestinian blew himself up inside a bakery in the Red Sea resort town of Eilat, Israeli officials said.

It’s been nine months since a bombing in Israel, now suddenly without warning a Palestinian blew himself up inside a bakery in the Red Sea resort town of Eilat, Israeli officials said. The Palestinian reportedly walked from Egypt across the open desert border, hitched a ride from a wary Israeli motorist and then launched the self-ignited bomb attack killing himself and three workers including two owners of the bakery.

Shattered glass, body parts and blood-splattered pastries were on the sidewalk outside the bakery.

The Eilat blast occurred four days before the so-called Quartet of Middle East mediators was to meet in Washington as part of a bid to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Now, the attack has complicated the efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades and Islamic Jihad claimed joint responsibility for the attack, and identified the bomber as Muhammad Faisal al-Siksik, 21, from northern Gaza. Both militant groups said they hoped to encourage warring Palestinian factions to end weeks of clashes.

Dozens of neighbors celebrated the bombing at the family’s home. Children held up pictures of Siksik brandishing an assault rifle, and a crowd chanted slogans praising him as a martyr.