JERUSALEM: A suicide bomber blew himself up on a Jerusalem bus last week killing seven passengers and himself, police said. At least 20 others were wounded, four in serious condition, while a second bomber blew himself up on the outskirts of the city.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon postponed a trip to Washington for talks with President Bush on a peace plan after receiving news of the attacks.

The bus attack happened at an intersection at the northern edge of the city, police said. Five dead passengers were still in their seats in the front of the bus, one leaning out a window, an hour after the blast.

The bomber was dressed in a white prayer shawl and skull cap worn by observant Jews "to give the impression he was coming home from morning prayers," said police spokesman Gil Kleiman. Police Chief Mickey Levy said this was not the first time that suicide bombers have dressed as Jews in order to infiltrate Israel.

Police said the second bomber blew himself up at the entrance to the village of Dahiya el-Barid, near Jerusalem. The bomber was killed in the blast on the highway, and no one else was hurt.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks.

The bombings were part of a sudden surge in Palestinian attacks—four in 12 hours—including a bombing in the West Bank city of Hebron in which a suicide bomber killed an Israeli man and his pregnant wife. Also, two armed Palestinians tried to attack a Jewish settlement in the West Bank and were killed by soldiers.

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