A female Palestinian bomber blew up at a bus stop near Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market Friday afternoon at 4:15 p.m., killing 6 and wounding 87, six seriously. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell flew by helicopter over the site minutes later before continuing on a planned visit to the northern border. The Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades of Yasser Arafat's Fatah group took credit. Powell decided to postpone his meeting with Arafat, reportedly until Arafat condemns the suicide attack in Arabic.

The suicide bomber reportedly tried to enter the market but was deterred by the heavy police presence. She then tried to get on a bus, but was unable to do that. She exploded between the bus stop and a bakery. The outdoor market was crowded with shoppers buying groceries before the Jewish Sabbath, which began at sundown.

There are conflicting reports as to whether the bomber, reportedly in her twenties, came from Hebron, south of Jerusalem, or from Jenin, in the northern sector of the West Bank. Unlike Jenin, tightly controlled by the IDF, Hebron has only seen limited Israeli army activity, and is not sealed.

Secretary Powell, having concluded meetings with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his cabinet, was about to board a helicopter tour of Israel's northern border when the blast occurred, less than a mile from the helipad. The helicopter took off, and hovered over the blast site for several minutes before continuing north. Upon arrival at the border, Powell witnessed anti-tank or mortar fire by Hizbullah against Israeli installations on Mount Dov.

Danny Ayalon, a Sharon policy advisor, said after the attack: "Once again we are witness to the regular pattern of Palestinian terror which tries to thwart every effort to end the bloodshed and make any diplomatic progress." He said that the attack strengthens Israel's demand that Arafat not just condemn terror, but also take action: declare a cease-fire, order an end to terror attacks, stop funding terror, and break up terror organizations in addition to accepting and implementing the bridging proposals of special envoy Anthony Zinni.

Israeli officials called on Powell to cancel the meeting. Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert said that it would be embarrassing for the Americans to meet Arafat when a branch of Arafat's own organization took responsibility for the attack. He said that the Palestinian terrorists were trying to show that Powell would still meet with Arafat despite the attack.

After initial reports from the White House that the Saturday meeting would go on as planned, Powell reportedly reconsidered the plan and, after consultations by Zinni with senior Palestinian officials, decided to defer the meeting.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said, calling the attack for the first time a "homicide bombing," implied that an Arabic language condemnation of the terrorist attack would be required before a meeting can take place. "The President was very troubled by what happened this morning, and the president expects Yasser Arafat to denounce this morning's attack, to step up and show leadership."

Fleischer added, "Today would be a very good day for Yasser Arafat to explain to the world what he said when he committed himself to Oslo, that he denounces these very types of attacks." However, Palestinian sources indicate that the meeting will be held Sunday.

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