Hell has returned to Jerusalem. On the night of April 18, a loud blast shook Bus No. 12 on its route through the Israeli capital with several passengers. The explosion started a fire on that bus as well as another next to it and a private vehicle. Fire quickly engulfed the area, instantly returning Israelis to the horrific second intifada more than a decade ago that filled the streets of Israel with blood.

Radio and television networks, experienced with such events, immediately responded with live coverage, opening old wounds and fears in many Israelis. For the first few hours, the police were not certain that it was, indeed, a terror attack. By evening it was clear: An explosive charge was evidently planted on the bus and had gone off. As of the time of this writing, the identity of the terrorist is still unknown. No terror organization has assumed responsibility for the attack. A total of 21 wounded are presently hospitalized, with three in serious condition.

During the second intifada, an attack like this would have received only limited exposure on the media. In those days, 21 wounded people hardly made a spike in the statistics. Israel groaned in pain under an unprecedented barrage of terrorist hellfire. Suicide bombers blew themselves up in restaurants, nightclubs, buses and hotels. On their bodies, the attackers wore explosive materials filled with shrapnel to maximize the damage. Israel counted dozens of fatalities in every such attack, and more than 1,000 Israelis were murdered all told. The national trauma continues to haunt the collective Israeli soul, and the scars have not yet healed.

Read the full article at Al-Monitor.