Suicide bomber kills three in attack on Israeli resort

A PALESTINIAN suicide bomber attacked a bakery in a southern Israeli resort town yesterday, killing three people and himself.

It was the first suicide bombing in Israel in nine months and the first to hit Eilat, Israel’s southern-most city.

The normally tranquil Red Sea resort is located at Israel’s southern tip near the Jordanian and Egyptian borders. Separated from Israel’s largest cities by hundreds of kilometres of desert, it has been largely immune from Israeli-Palestinian fighting.

Israeli leaders said the bombing jeopardised a two-month truce in Gaza.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed to continue the “never-ending struggle against terrorists”.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern will meet with the Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora next Friday. However, a planned visit to Gaza in Palestine may not take place.

Mr Ahern travels to the Middle East today as part of a four-day tour and will hold talks with the Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian and Lebanese governments.

Department of Foreign Affairs officials are reviewing plans for a visit to Gaza City tomorrow due to increasing violence there. Mr Ahern planned to meet Palestinian political leaders in Gaza.

A spokesman said they were contemplating cancelling the visit to Gaza, but may visit Ramallah in the West Bank instead.

The spokesman for Mr Ahern also confirmed the minister would hold talks with the Lebanese Prime Minister on Friday. Mr Ahern will travel to Egypt on Thursday, before travelling on to Lebanon on Thursday night. He will also visit families of missing Israeli soldiers during his visit. He is due to discuss the worsening situation in Palestine, plans for peace and political tensions in Lebanon with all the political leaders.