Israel Accused of Staging Bombing

JERUSALEM (AP) - A Palestinian human rights organization on Monday accused the Israeli military of concocting a story about a suicide bomber to cover up the shooting of a Palestinian youth.


On May 8, Israel police said a Palestinian bomber standing at a busy Israeli highway junction exploded, possibly prematurely, injuring only himself. Photos and video footage of the alleged bomber being dragged by a police bomb inspection robot were broadcast worldwide.

Palestinian human rights association Addameer said Zeidan Zeidan, 20, from the West Bank town of Jenin, was carrying goods to sell in villages inside Israel when soldiers fired at him, wounding him in the stomach.

Israeli police spokesman Gil Kleiman said Zeidan was definitely carrying a bomb. "An explosion did occur, and the bag that the bomber was carrying blew up," Kleiman said. The incident took place at the Megiddo junction in Israel's north.

Kleiman said there was only partial detonation of the explosive device, and most of it did not blow up. Kleiman said shots were fired, but he did not know if Zeidan was injured by gunfire.

Photos and video footage filmed shortly after the explosion show the bomber lying semiconscious near a bus stop. No explosive device is visible. The Palestinian does not appear to be badly wounded.