Thank god my kids were not with me, says Israeli official

She recalls seeing a motorcyclist throw something towards her car

February 15, 2012 01:59 am | Updated November 17, 2021 12:20 am IST - Tel Aviv:

Israel embassy official Tal Yehoshua Koren, who on Monday was the victim of a terror attack in New Delhi, said she was fortunate her children were not in the car that was bombed. The incident has prompted Israeli diplomats across the world to use taxis or public transport to commute.

Ms. Koren was going to the American embassy school to fetch her children in a Toyota Innova when the vehicle was bombed. Three more persons, including her driver and two others in another car, were injured.

Ms. Koren, wife of Israel's defence attaché, told the Israeli media that she remembers “seeing the motorcyclist who apparently threw something in the direction of the car.”

She spoke from her hospital bed in Delhi to the Hebrew newspaper Yediot Acharonot .

By dashing out of her vehicle when she saw the motorcyclist attaching the device to her car, she may have saved herself, israelnationalnews.com reported.

Seconds later, there was a deafening blast and the car burst into flames.

Haaretz.com

An Israeli diplomat in India said: “We were always warned, and even more so recently, that we're a target.”

“But you don't really understand it until it happens. We will continue working and doing what needs to be done, but one must admit, given that we have families, children — it is scary,” the diplomat was quoted as saying.

High alert

Israeli diplomats across the world were advised to use taxis or public transport after the attack in India and the foiled attack in Georgia. Israeli institutions have been placed on high alert, reported israelnationalnews.com .

Citing a report on Channel 10, the news website said Israel's security agencies, including Mossad, have directed all diplomats not to use their own or embassy vehicles until these can be inspected.

Officials were being sent home by taxi for fear that their vehicles may be booby-trapped, the report said.

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