Twin blasts in Jerusalem kill one in suspected Palestinian attack - Reuters

JERUSALEM, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Two bombs exploded astatine autobus stops connected Jerusalem's outskirts connected Wednesday, sidesplitting a 16-year-old lad and wounding astatine slightest 14 different people, successful what appeared to beryllium an onslaught by Palestinian militants, Israeli authorities said.

Police blamed the archetypal blast, which occurred during unreserved hour, connected an explosive instrumentality planted astatine a autobus presumption adjacent the metropolis exit. The 2nd - astir 30 minutes aboriginal - deed a autobus halt successful the vicinity of an municipality colony successful the eastbound of the city.

"There has not been specified a coordinated onslaught successful Jerusalem for galore years," constabulary spokesperson Eli Levi told Israeli Army Radio.

Army Radio said the explosive devices were hidden successful bags and were packed with nails to maximise the impact. Kan Radio said they look to person been detonated from afar by mobile phone.

Security camera footage aired by N12 quality showed the infinitesimal of the archetypal detonation with a abrupt unreality of fume billowing from the autobus stop. Television showed debris strewn astir the site, which was cordoned disconnected by exigency services.

Israel's ambulance work said 12 radical had been taken to infirmary from the archetypal blast and 3 radical were wounded successful the 2nd explosion. One of the wounded, a 16-year-old, died successful hospital, the Shaare Zedek Medical Center said.

The United Nations, the European Union and the United States condemned the attacks.

"Terrorism is simply a dead-end that accomplishes perfectly nothing," the U.S. Embassy said connected Twitter.

TENSION

The explosions, which transportation echoes of the autobus bombings that were a hallmark of the Palestinian revolt of 2000-2005, travel months of hostility successful the occupied West Bank aft the Israeli subject launched a crackdown successful the aftermath of a bid of deadly Palestinian attacks successful Israel.

The co-ordinated explosions appeared to beryllium a step-up from the drawstring of mostly Palestinian lone-wolf stabbing, shooting and car ramming attacks this year.

In Gaza, a spokesperson for the Palestinian militant radical Hamas praised the Jerusalem explosions but stopped abbreviated of claiming responsibility.

Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua linked the blasts to "the crimes conducted by the (Israeli) concern and the settlers".

The explosions came arsenic erstwhile premier curate Benjamin Netanyahu negotiates with allies to signifier a caller right-wing authorities including members of spiritual and far-right parties.

One of his allies, ultra-nationalist lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir who heads the Jewish Power party, visited the country of the archetypal bombing wherever helium demanded pugnacious enactment against militants.

"Even if it's successful the West Bank, laic siege to them and spell from location to location successful hunt of guns and reconstruct our deterrence power," said Ben-Gvir, who hopes to beryllium appointed constabulary curate successful the caller government.

In a abstracted incident, Palestinian gunmen precocious connected Tuesday abducted the assemblage of an Israeli high-school pupil who had died successful a Palestinian infirmary successful the West Bank metropolis of Jenin aft being injured successful a car clang nearby, the teenager's uncle told Kan Radio.

A diplomat root told Reuters that United Nations was mediating connected the merchandise of the assemblage and Israeli subject said it expected that that would hap soon.

It was unclear wherefore the gunmen had taken the assemblage and determination was nary contiguous denotation of immoderate transportation betwixt this incidental and the bombings.

Reporting by Maayan Lubell and Emily Rose successful Jerusalem; Nidal al-Mughrabi successful Gaza; Ali Sawafta successful Ramallah Writing by James Mackenzie and Maayan Lubell; Editing by Kim Coghill, Robert Birsel and Gareth Jones

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