A hitherto unknown Palestinian group admitted responsibility for the bus attack near Tel Aviv today that killed eight Israelis, a television station in Qutar, al-Jazeera, reported.
Jazeera said it received an Arabic typed statement from a group calling itself Return Brigades saying it carried out the attack to avenge the Israeli assassination of a member of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's elite security force in Gaza yesterday.
There was no proof of the authenticity of the claim. Palestinian driver Mr Khalil Abu Elba rammed a state-run Israeli bus he was driving into a crowded bus stop south of Tel Aviv, killing eight people and injuring 17.
Caretaker Prime Minister Mr Ehud Barak has sealed off Palestinian-ruled areas in response.
Mr Barak's office said in a statement he ordered a series of immediate steps in light of the attack, including the closing of Palestinian Authority international crossings, the cancellation of relaxations of the closure and complete enforcement of such, as well as additional steps.
The prime minister will hold security consultations in the coming hours and additional decisions are possible.
Palestinian President Mr Yasser Arafat said today Israel's military crackdown on Palestinians was to blame for an upsurge of violence.
Asked to comment on the killing of eight Israelis by the Palestinian bus driver Mr Arafat said: "What is happening is an Israeli military escalation that has direct consequences on the feelings of the Palestinian people."
He told reporters in Amman he had no details yet on the bus attack south of Tel Aviv but warned a deterioration in the situation would have serious consequences.
"There is an intentional Israeli escalation against our Palestinian people," Mr Arafat said. "If the military escalation continues and the use of internationally banned weapons, no doubt it would be a difficult position for everyone."
He charged accused Israel of using banned types of nerve gas in recent confrontations in Gaza.
Reuters