Suicide bomber kills 2 at park near Tel Aviv

RISHON LETZION, Israel -- A suicide bomber blew himself up in a southern city Wednesday night, killing two other people and wounding 27, police and rescue workers said. The suicide blast, the second here in two weeks, followed a series of Israeli attacks that left five Palestinians dead.

Among the Palestinians killed in the attacks was Mahmoud Titi, 30, local leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade militia who had said his goal was to build a Palestinian army that would hunt and kill Israeli soldiers and settlers.

In Rishon Letzion, a residential community of 100,000, police spokesman Gil Kleiman said two people and the bomber were killed and 27 wounded. Israel television said the dead were a 15-year-old boy and a 66-year-old man.

The bomber blew himself up at the edge of a park where immigrants from the former Soviet Union gather to play cards.

Police spokesman Haim Cohen said the bomber had dyed his hair blond, apparently so the Russians would not think he was Arab.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

"There was a loud boom and I just saw body parts," said witness Orin Mahmon. "I saw a guy all black and people with no arms and legs."

On May 7, a suicide bomber blew himself up at a pool hall in the same city, 10 miles south of Tel Aviv, killing 15 Israelis and himself.

David Baker, an official in the Israeli prime minister's office, called the bombing "another cowardly act of terror committed by Palestinian terrorists who have once again resorted to their murderous deeds."

The Palestinian leadership denounced Wednesday's bombing, according to a statement from the Palestinian news agency, Wafa. The leaders called on Palestinians to "declare their condemnation of such terrorist attacks."

Earlier Wednesday at the Balata refugee camp next to Nablus, witnesses said Israeli forces fired shells at the camp cemetery, killing three activists, including Titi.

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