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Israel embassy car bombing leads to diplomacy row

World | NDTV Correspondent | Updated: February 14, 2012 09:59 IST

New Delhi: The explosion in an Israleli diplomat’s car in New Delhi on Monday has led to a global war of words with Israel training its guns on Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Iran and its “protege” Hezbollah of carrying out the twin bomb attacks on Israeli diplomats in India and Georgia, accusing Tehran of being the “world’s largest terror exporter”.

Addressing lawmakers of his Likud Party, Mr Netanyahu said, “In all those cases, the elements behind these attacks were Iran and its protege Hezbollah.”

Two people were wounded in New Delhi and the bomb in Georgia was defused before it went off.

“Today we witnessed two more terror attacks in India and Georgia. Iran, which is behind these two attacks, is the world’s largest terror exporter. The government of Israel and its security services will continue to cooperate with local authorities against Iran’s global terror,” he added.

Mr Netanyahu said that other attacks in recent months in Azerbaijan, Thailand and elsewhere were thwarted.

An Israeli embassy car in New Delhi exploded today close to the mission in a suspected coordinated terror attack after a car bomb involving an Israeli embassy vehicle in Georgian capital of Tbilisi was defused.

According to initial investigations, two motorcycle borne youths tailed the Israeli Embassy vehicle in New Delhi’s high security zone and allegedly placed “something” in the rear of the car when it stopped at a traffic signal.

In the past, Iran has accused Israel of being involved in a series of killings of it nuclear scientists involved in its controversial atomic programme.

India, which will have to walk the diplomatic tightrope, has assured Israel of a serious and thorough investigation. External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said last evening, “The culprits will be brought to justice at the earliest. I have just spoken to Israel’s PM and I have assured Israel’s foreign minister that the law of the land will take its course. The investigation has already started, we will continue with it and keep him posted as and when we get the progress report on the investigation.” Mr Krishna said.

Earlier, reacting to the incidents, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman has said that his country “will not allow terrorism to affect its agenda”.

“It just shows that Israel and its citizens face terror inside and outside of Israel,” Liberman said. “We deal with it every day. We know how to identify exactly who is responsible for the attack and who carried it out,” he added in an apparent reference to Lebanese Shi’ite faction Hezbollah.

The incident in New Delhi came a day after the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Hezbollah deputy leader, Imad Mughniyah, who was killed in a car bomb attack.

However, Iran denied Israeli accusations that it was behind attacks on Israeli embassy staff in Georgia and India.

“We categorically reject the accusations made by the Zionist regime. They are part of a propaganda war,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast was quoted as saying by
the an Arabic television channel.

“Iran condemns all acts of terrorism,” he added.

Iran “has also been the victim of terrorist actions,” Mr Mehmanparast said, adding that “the Zionist regime itself is based on state terrorism and occupation” in reference to
Israeli-occupied Palestinian land.

The US said it has no information yet on who were involved in the bombing on Israeli diplomats vehicle in New Delhi and attempted attack on Israeli diplomatic personnel in Georgia, the White House has said.

“We have no information yet on who is responsible for these attacks, so we are still evaluating what happened,” Jay Carney, White House Press Secretary told reporters.

Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the US places a high priority on the safety and security of diplomatic personnel around the world.

“We stand ready to assist with any investigation of these cowardly actions,” she said.

“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the bombing of an Israeli diplomatic vehicle in India and the attempted attack on Israeli Embassy personnel in Georgia. The scourge of
terrorism is an affront to the entire international community,” Ms Clinton said.

Meanwhile, American Jewish Committee condemned attacks on Israeli embassy staff in India and Georgia and said it is another ominous indication of how far terrorists, and their
state sponsors, will take their war against Israel.

“The bombing in India, and attempted attack in Georgia, have the unmistakable fingerprints of Iran, and its terror proxy Hezbollah, which destroyed Israel’s Embassy in Buenos
Aires in 1992, and, two years later, leveled the city’s Jewish community center,” said AJC executive director David Harris.

Georgia UN chief Ban Ki-moon has condemned the attacks on Israeli embassy staff in India and Georgia and called on the concerned authorities to investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“Following the attack that targeted an Israeli diplomatic vehicle in India today, injuring one person, and reports of a foiled attack on Israeli Embassy personnel in Georgia, the Secretary-General recalls his condemnation of attacks against diplomatic personnel and premises wherever they take place,” the spokesperson of the UN Secretary General said.
“He calls on the host authorities to investigate these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice,” the spokesperson said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Story First Published: February 14, 2012 09:59 IST