Hamas watches its words in response to Jerusalem bus bombing
Hamas is celebrating — but not claiming responsibility for — the April 18 bus bombing in Jerusalem, indicating it is walking a fine political line between maintaining its popularity among frustrated Palestinians and avoiding a punitive retaliation by Israel.
Since the outbreak of Palestinian unrest in October, attacks on Israelis have been mainly individual and driven by personal motives. Knives have been the main weapons used, with guns appearing only occasionally. This is why the unrest is called "the individual intifada," given the absence of any organizing party.
However, a bus bombing April 18 in Jerusalem that wounded 20 Israelis turned out to be a Palestinian operation carried out by Abdel-Hamid Abu Srour, 19, of Bethlehem. Abu Srour died from his wounds two days later.
Hamas waited until April 21 to issue an official statement mourning Abu Srour, who was a member along with three close relatives — Maher, Mahmoud and Nasr Abu Srour. The relatives were accused in the 1993 death of an Israeli intelligence officer in West Jerusalem during the first intifada. Also, masked men wearing the uniform of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' armed wing, attended the mourning for Abu Srour and vowed to carry out more operations against Israel. The last time masked men appeared in the West Bank was probably in 2007.
Still, Hamas did not claim responsibility for the bus bombing, raising questions about its reluctance — especially since it staged a rally April 28 celebrating the attack.
