Israel begins burying bombing victims

The first funerals from Friday's Tel Aviv nightclub attack were held on Sunday

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Angry and mournful, Israelis on Sunday began burying teen-agers killed in a suicide bomb attack on a nightclub.

Friday's attack in Tel Aviv claimed 20 Israelis and a suicide bomber. Fourteen of the victims were buried Sunday. The bomber also died in the attack.

Shocked mourners gathered at the site of the bombing, weeping and placing flowers. Crying teen-agers also gathered at the school where several of their friends killed in the blast had studied.

Many Israelis called for revenge, but others appealed for restraint.

Sources identified the alleged bomber as Mohammed Saeed al-Hotary. Israeli sources said al-Hotary was a member of the Islamic Jihad. Palestinian sources have not verified that.

Al-Hotary was from the West Bank Palestinian village of Qalqilya. Sources said he was born in Qalqilya and lived there until his family moved to Jordan. Two years ago, he reportedly received a visa from the Israelis to return and work in Israel. He moved back to Qalqilya.

VIDEO Israelis wait to see if Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat enforces cease-fire. CNN's Jerrold Kessel reports (June 3) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) U.S. President Bush condemns Friday's attack in Tel Aviv. CNN's Kathleen Koch reports (June 2) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     CNN ACCESS Powell on cautious U.S. role in volatile Mideast     GALLERY Images of the bombing in Tel Aviv    AUDIO Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat condemns Friday's bombing in Tel Aviv 1.3 MB/60 sec. AIFF or WAV sound Ghassan Khattib, Palestinian Analyst: Cyclical state sponsored violence undermines peace process 1.06 MB/98 sec. AIFF or WAV sound More audio    RESOURCES Full text of the Mitchell Committee's report (from the Meridian International Center website) Requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™ Click here to download the reader.     ALSO Bomber identified as 22-year-old Palestinian Germany leads outrage at Mideast bomb New York rally condems Tel Aviv attack Two airlines cancel flights in wake of bombing

Israeli television reported the Islamic Jihad was responsible for the attack on the disco, but there has been no official claim of responsibility. (More on the suspected bomber)

Though leaflets from the militant wing of the Hamas organization said the attack was carried out in the name of Hamas, CNN has no independent confirmation from the group itself.

One man told CNN he wants the Israeli government to "see what happens instead of acting out of rage."

Non-violent protests continue, Palestinian says

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell called on Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat to match his promises of a cease-fire with "action on the ground" and exert greater control over militant Palestinian factions.

Arafat has condemned the violence, adding that he would do everything to stop such violence.

But a statement saying the intifada should continue was released by 13 Palestinian factions, including the militant Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups, Arafat's Fatah faction, as well as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, after they met Sunday.

However, Palestinian Cabinet minister Nabil Sha'ath said only the non-violent aspects of the intifada should continue.

"What we want to do is to stop all fire, to stop all shooting, to stop all action that kills people," he said. "And if that leaves political demonstrations, if that leaves the protest of the people in non-violent form against occupation we have no problem with that."

Sha'ath said Arafat had the full backing of Fatah and his security forces, but that he'll have to produce results to keep the support of Palestinians.

"I think he'll have to demonstrate to people two things. One, that he seriously means business when he says he wants to stop all fire, but that he will continue very ardently, with the help of Mr. Powell and the United States and Europe, to implement the Mitchell plan that promises to freeze all settlement activities, implement all unimplemented parts of the peace process, and move towards a negotiated settlement on a permanent basis," Sha'ath said.

'Edge of very, very deep hole'

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer held a second meeting with Arafat on Sunday night at Arafat's West Bank headquarters and urged the Palestinian leader to enforce a cease-fire, according to The Associated Press.

"If, indeed, we want to avoid a tragic confrontation, a prerequisite is that the Palestinian side grasp and understand -- and my impression is that it has grasped and understood -- that there is no more room for maneuvering," Fischer told reporters. (More on German reaction)

Powell also appealed to Israel for "caution" in its response to the bombing.

"This is the time for caution, because if this turns into another cycle of violence back and forth, we are on the edge of a very, very, deep hole, and we don't want to fall into it." Powell said on CNN's "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer."

Powell, who canceled a trip to Costa Rica to monitor developments in the Middle East, said he talked with Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

He said he would remain in Washington to monitor the situation "until we get through this delicate time." (More comments from Powell)

Strikes not ruled out, Israeli minister says

Demonstrators hurled stones at a Tel Aviv mosque

Ephraim Sneh, the Israeli Cabinet transport minister, said late on Sunday his government had not ordered strikes in response to the bombing, but he did not rule it out, suggesting Israel's response hinged upon what steps Arafat would take to reign in the violence.

"No, we are not going to retaliate right now," Sneh told CNN.

But, he said, if there is a "clear and present danger" to Israeli soldiers and "if there is a information about some of the arch-terrorists who prepare an actual terrorist operation and the Palestinian Authority does nothing about it, then we are obliged to act."

Sneh said the Israeli government would know "in a few days time" whether Arafat was committed to ending the violence or whether he was "just tricking."

Friday's attack on the disco was the single-worst death toll since the Palestinian uprising began about eight months ago.