Palestinian suicide bomber killed 9 Israelis and injured dozens more in an attack near a busy Tel Aviv bus station during the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas condemned this act of terrorism but the Islamic group Hamas, which recently formed a new government, laid the blame on Israel for its "aggression" toward the Palestinians.

This lack of condemnation from the new Hamas run government drew criticism not only from Washington, but also surprisingly from UN chief Kofi Annan.

Bomb attack on Tel Aviv shoppers

Ehud Olmert, Israel's acting prime minister, has said he held the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority responsible for a suicide attack on a Tel Aviv sandwich bar which killed 10 people and injured 60.

Mr Olmert said: "We will know how to respond in the way and manner required, and we will continue to act with all means at our disposal to thwart further such incidents."

A spokesman for Hamas defended the attack, calling it "a natural result of the continued Israeli crimes against our people."

"The Israeli occupation bears responsibility for the continuation of its aggression," he said. "Our people are in a state of self-defence and they have every right to use all means to defend themselves."

But Mahmoud Abbas, Palestine's president, condemned the bombing, urging the international community "to stop the grave deterioration that the region is witnessing now."

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