A suicide bomber blew himself up at a bus stop in Jerusalem's crowded outdoor market Friday, killing several people and wounding at least 40, police and medics said.
The act came as US Secretary of State Colin Powell failed to secure any firm timetable for an end to Israel's crushing military offensive in the West Bank during initial talks with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Moments after the blast, witnesses saw five bodies at the scene, covered by rescue workers with white sheets. Glass shards, twisted metal, blood and body parts were strewn across the asphalt.
The blast went off shortly after 4pm, at a time when the Mahane Yehuda market was crowded with shoppers hunting for pre-Sabbath bargains.
Police Chief Mickey Levy said the bomber failed to reach the heart of the market or get onto a bus because of tight security. ``Thus he exploded himself as he was trying to get on bus,'' Levy said
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
David Baker, a spokesman for Sharon, said the blast was ``another murderous attack by Palestinian terrorists against innocent Israelis at the busiest time of the week in the busiest market in Jerusalem.''
Before the blast, Powell had said: "I hope we can find a way to come into agreement on this point of the duration of the operations and get back to a track that will lead to a political settlement."
Powell is on a mission to stem 18 months of Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed.
Israel maintained a tight grip on most of the West Bank's important cities, defying US and international pressure to halt the offensive it launched two weeks ago after Palestinian suicide attacks killed dozens of Israelis.
"We do understand what terrorism is, and as we have responded to terrorism, we know that Israel has a right to respond to terrorism. The question is how do we get beyond just a response," Powell said.
He said Israel and the Palestinians must eventually begin peace negotiations and noted there was a "mutual commitment to get to that point."
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