Two blasts rock Jerusalem as Israeli police suspect ‘Palestinian attack’

Two explosions occurred near two bus stations at the entrance to Jerusalem on Wednesday morning, leaving at least 18 people injured, according to the Jerusalem Post.

An Israeli police statement said two blasts occurred near two bus stations in Jerusalem, 30 minutes apart, and were suspected to be a Palestinian attack.

Al-Hurra’s correspondent in Jerusalem said, “11 people were injured in the explosion at the bus station at the western entrance to Jerusalem, and the conditions of two of them were described as critical, and two others were in serious condition”.

And the correspondent continued: “Explosives experts are scouring the place for more explosive devices.”

He stressed that “the police have closed the main road leading to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv”.

Television footage showed debris strewn over the blast site, which was cordoned off by emergency services.

Israeli army radio said that the first explosion was caused by a booby-trapped motorcycle that had been placed near the bus station, and the second explosive device had been placed inside a bag on one of the buses.

The ambulance service said there were no immediate reports of deaths, but at least two of the injured were seriously injured.

According to the “Times of Israel,” the first blast occurred near the main entrance to Jerusalem at Givat Shaul, shortly after 7 a.m. rush hour at the station.

The second explosion occurred shortly after 7:30 at the Ramot junction, one of the entrances to Jerusalem.

Doctors said at least two people were injured by shrapnel from the second blast.

And Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a security consultation session attended by the Chief of the General Security Service, Ronen Bar, the Deputy Chief of Staff and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Palestinian Territories, in order to study the situation and how to respond to the two explosions and the escalation of security in West Bank, according to Al-Hurra correspondent from Jerusalem.

The head of Israel’s military intelligence division, Aharon Halifa, indicated that the security situation in the Palestinian territories is unstable and that the intelligence services are concerned about what is happening there.