JERUSALEM — President Bush’s arrival in the Middle East was upstaged yesterday when the biggest rocket ever fired from the Gaza Strip crashed into a shopping mall in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, critically injuring three and wounding 13 others.
The rocket attack demonstrated a major advance in weaponry recently available to militants in Gaza, which was seized by Hamas nearly a year ago.
Coming as Mr. Bush and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert finished a meeting in Jerusalem, an hour’s drive away, the attack also illustrated the growing threat to Israel from Gaza to the southwest and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia to the north, with a similar rocket arsenal.
Both groups advocate the destruction of the Jewish state, as has Iran, which is thought to be developing nuclear weapons and missiles capable of reaching Israel.
“It’s clear Hamas isn’t interested in peace or helping the people of Gaza lead better lives. Political goals will never be achieved by launching rockets from Gaza onto innocent women and children,” the White House said.
“President Bush is proud to be in Israel and will stand with those who want to see two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace,” it said.
Video: Bush: America stands with Israel
Mr. Bush arrived yesterday for ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of Israel. It was the president’s first stop on a three-nation tour of the Middle East to promote an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement and discuss Iran’s growing influence in the region.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine — General Command took responsibility for the attack.
Many Israeli officials, who were invited to a festive dinner with the president, canceled in order to visit the scene of the attack.
“What happened today is entirely intolerable and unacceptable,” Mr. Olmert said. “We will take all the necessary steps so that this will stop.”
Israel Radio reported that Mr. Olmert told Mr. Bush that it’s only a matter of time before Israel is compelled to move into Gaza with all its power.
Mr. Bush arrived in the region at an awkward juncture.
The Associated Press reported that New York financier Morris Talansky will give evidence in the Jerusalem District Court on May 25 as part of an investigation into allegations that Mr. Olmert accepted illegal donations, according to court records released yesterday.
Last week, the Shi’ite Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and Syria, sent its forces into Sunni areas of Beirut, sparking the worst sectarian violence in Lebanon since a 15-year civil war ended in 1990.
“Hezbollah, the so-called protector of the Lebanese against Israel, has now turned on its own people,” Mr. Bush told reporters.
“Hezbollah is supported by Iran and this is an Iranian effort to destabilize that young democracy and the United States stands strongly with the Siniora government,” the president said, referring to Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.
A senior Israeli official said that combating Iran is just as an important — if not a more important — agenda topic for Mr. Bush’s visit as peace negotiations with the Palestinians.
“Iran is central because Iran is playing a very negative role in Lebanon, playing a very negative role in Gaza and playing a very negative role by moving ahead on its nuclear program,” the official said.
“There is no doubt that Iran is the central force of instability in the region. … This is the one issue that Israel and the Arabs agree on,” the official said on the condition that he not be quoted by name.
Until recently, populated areas Ashkelon, a city of 110,000 located about nine miles from Gaza’s border, had been out of range of primitive Qassam rockets used by Palestinian militants.
Israeli security officials speculated that the rocket that struck the shopping center was a Katyusha missile, the kind of short-range rocket used by Iranian-backed Hezbollah to attack cities in northern Israel.
After an afternoon of private talks with Mr. Olmert and Israeli President Shimon Peres, Mr. Bush gave a keynote speech to a conference of Nobel laureates, diplomats and business leaders to mark Israel’s anniversary.
“The objective of the United States must be to support our strongest ally and friend in the Middle East … and at the same time talk about a hopeful future,” Mr. Bush said.
The president will be in Israel until tomorrow, when he will fly to Saudi Arabia. The last leg of the visit to the region will be in Egypt, where he is scheduled to meet with Palestinian leaders.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.