A scene of carnage following an Islamic suicide attack against Israeli civilians (05/12/2005)

Five people were killed and 66 were wounded - three seriously - in an explosion that rocked the entrance to the Hasharon shopping mall on Herzl Street in Netanya at 11:25 a.m. Monday morning. Four died at the scene, and another person died on the operating table at Laniado Hospital in Netanya.

Four of the five victims were identified on Monday evening.

Alexandra Zrnitzki, 65, of Netanya was killed, along with the security guard who was tried to stop the bomber, Ayala Rosen, 38, of Beit Hefer. Nahariya resident Daniel Golani, 45, died, as did Haim Amram, 26, a Netanya resident.

The name of the fifth victim was yet to be released.

The Islamic Jihad took responsibility for the attack in a phone call to Palestinian journalists, identifying the bomber as Lutfi Amin Abu Salem, a resident of the northern West Bank village of Kafr Rai, located between the towns of Jenin and Tulkarm.

It's obvious that the Palestinian Authority is showing no intention to take real steps to dismantle or disarm the terrorist organizations," Ra'anan Gissin, spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said in response to the bombing. The bombing was "a direct consequence of not taking these steps." He further accused Syria, Iran and Hizbullah of encouraging terrorism in Israel "for the purpose of scuttling the process that seemed to be gaining momentum," but added that this did not absolve the PA of responsibility.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom called the attack "additional proof of the inaction of the Palestinian Authority under Abu Mazen. Israel can't stand a continuation of the spilling of blood in the cities and the Kassam attacks." He added, "The leadership of the Palestinian Authority is refusing to act against the terror organizations and to dismantle them."
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