[1] On Sunday, February 22, 2004, during the morning rush hour, a Palestinian suicide bomber got on the 14a bus traveling to downtown Jerusalem.

The suicide bomber had an explosive device hidden in a backpack which was stuffed with metal scraps to maximize casualties.

At approximately 8:30 am, as the bus passed Liberty Bell park on the edge of Emek Refaim, the main street of the German Colony, he detonated the explosive device.

"[7] Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom condemned the attack, citing it as proof that the Israeli West Bank barrier was justified and imperative to prevent such incidents from recurring.

[citation needed] Palestinian National Authority Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia condemned the attack and stated that it gave Israel an excuse to continue building the West Bank barrier.