Two dead in Jerusalem terror bombing

A victim of the blast is loaded into an ambulance.

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- A suicide bomber set off a massive explosion Thursday in the heart of downtown Jerusalem, police said, killing at least two people and wounding more than 50.

Police said they believed the bomber was also killed.

Palestinian sources said that the bomber was a member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement.

The Israeli government placed the blame squarely on Arafat.

"They are financed by Mr. Arafat, and they take orders from him," said Israeli government spokesman Ranaan Gissin. "Arafat has not met the minimum requirements.. of [U.S. Middle East envoy] General [Anthony] Zinni and Vice President Cheney to make a declaration to stop the shooting, to stop the terrorism."

Hospital officials said five people were in critical condition.

Police said the blast went off along King George Street near the Ben Yehuda mall in a crowded area of central Jerusalem.

The blast came after a joint security meeting with Israelis and Palestinians early Thursday that ended without a cease-fire agreement because of "gaps and differences" on both sides, a senior Israeli defense ministry official said.

The joint security meeting, chaired by Zinni, lasted just more than three hours. Zinni was due to meet later with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.