Daylight aftermath at bomb site, Qureia comments, checkpoint

(26 Feb 2005) Tel Aviv,Israel 1. Pan right across area of bombing, police cars 2. Various of forensic team at work, shattered windows Abu Dis, West Bank 3. Set up shot of Ahmed Qureia, Palestinian Prime Minister 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ahmed Qureia, Palestinian Prime Minister "It''s against our policy and our strategy. We, all the Palestinians now, agree that any kind of military act against Israeli civilians in Israel is condemned and not allowed, and therefore the timing and the act itself and that this act to be addressed to the civilians, it''s refused, not acceptable, and it''s strongly condemned." (Q: What kind of steps will the Palestinian Authority take?) "Well we will take our responsibility, we will check, we will see who is behind it, but why particularly that all the Palestinian groups denied any relation with this act - Jamas, Jihad, al-Aqsa, Fatah - all of these groups have denied any relation between them and between this act, and they reaffirm their commitment towards the ceasefire." 5. Qureia gets into car and leaves Jerusalem 6. Long shot Israeli army checkpoint on the border with Bethlehem 7. Various of soldiers checking cars STORYLINE: Daylight on Saturday revealed a scene of devastation on the beachfront at Tel Aviv after a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd of young Israelis waiting outside a nightclub on Friday night, killing four people and wounding dozens. The incident threatens to shatter an informal Middle East truce. The blast, just before midnight on Friday, ended several weeks of calm and presented the first serious test to the unofficial cease-fire declared by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on February 8 at a dramatic summit in Egypt. Israeli officials indicated the attack would not derail the tentative peace efforts. But the bombing put new pressure on Abbas to take action against militants, who have not formally accepted the truce. The bombing occurred at the "Stage," a nightclub located near Tel Aviv''s seaside promenade, as about 20 to 30 people were waiting to enter the club. The area was especially busy on a mild weekend night. The bomber was identified as Abdullah Badran, 21, a university student who according to relatives had no history of militant activity. Palestinian security officials said they were investigating whether Badran, was recruited by local militants from the Al Aqsa Martyrs'' Brigades, a violent group with ties to Abbas'' ruling Fatah movement, at the behest of Hezbollah. The Lebanese group has stepped up efforts in recent weeks to disrupt the truce declared on February 8. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia roundly condemned the attack, saying all Palestinians agreed that attacking civilian Israeli targets was against Palestinian policy and was unacceptable. He added that all the main groups - Jamas, Jihad, al-Aqsa, Fatah - had denied any involvement in the bombing and "reaffirm their commitment towards the ceasefire." Security was tight on Saturday, with checks on cars passing through Israeli checkpoints around Jerusalem were thorough. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...