Bus Driver’s Action Saved Lives in Blast : Israel: His refusal to allow terrorist aboard military vehicle probably spared many soldiers. Hamas says it sent bomber.

Although Ayman Radi, a Palestinian police officer and a would-be passenger, awaited, bus driver Eli Bramley slammed his vehicle’s door shut and pulled away from a stop near this city’s main convention center Sunday.

Bramley, 39, told reporters that he never lets civilians on his troop transport.

“I closed the back door immediately after the last of the passengers got on and I went ahead” seven or eight yards, Bramley told Israel Radio. “As I stopped, the blast occurred.”

On a clear, crisp Christmas morning, police said, Radi had blown himself up and wounded at least a dozen people at the bus stop. Among the injured were a 44-year-old Palestinian from the West Bank, a 20-year-old American tourist from Pittsburgh, Pa., and at least three Israeli soldiers.

Hamas, the militant Islamic group, claimed responsibility for the 6:15 a.m. attack.

Its leaders have pledged to try to wreck the peace accord signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. The group carried out a deadly suicide bombing in the heart of Tel Aviv on Oct. 19 that killed 22 people in addition to the bomber.

More than 30 Israelis have been killed in attacks since Oct. 1. Hamas has claimed responsibility for most of the slayings.

In a leaflet distributed in Gaza a few hours after Sunday’s bombing, Hamas identified the bomber as Radi, 25, of Khan Yunis, a southern Gaza town.

Palestinian sources said he joined the Palestinian police force in Gaza six months ago and disappeared six days ago.

Hamas said Radi, a member of its Izzidin al-Qassam military unit, maneuvered through Palestinian and Israeli checkpoints, traveling from Gaza to Jerusalem with 22 pounds of explosives.

It said a “technical failure” prevented Radi from boarding a bus full of Israeli soldiers before detonating the explosives strapped to his body.

Police identified the “technical failure” as Bramley, who, moments before the bomb exploded, ignored Radi and pulled away from the Binyanei Haooma stop. It is a few hundred yards from Jerusalem’s central bus station and is where dozens of soldiers gather every Sunday morning to catch buses back to their bases after weekend leaves.

Israel’s security services warned several days ago that there might be some sort of attack attempted against Jerusalem; there have been more roadblocks than usual in the capital.

The force of Sunday’s blast shattered the rear window of Bramley’s bus and damaged a second bus that was behind him. It destroyed the stop and a nearby candy-and-cigarette stand.

Police commander Arieh Amit said Bramley’s alertness minimized injuries--a dozen people were hurt, police said, though hospitals reported treating 13--by shutting the bus door when he did.

“At another time and a different place, let’s say an hour later at the central bus station or where soldiers collect, we would undoubtedly be witnessing a very heavy tragedy,” Amit said.

All but two of the victims of the blast--which sent debris and glass flying into the road and caused a rush-hour traffic jam--were reported to have suffered only slight wounds.

One of the slightly wounded was identified as Sara Greenberg of Pittsburgh. Rashak Muhammad Abdallah, from the Palestinian village of A-Ram, was said to be in moderate condition. Alec Yitzhakov, whose age was unknown, from Jerusalem, was in serious condition.

In its statement, Hamas said it is determined to fight what it called the “Judaizing” of Jerusalem.

It said the attack was retaliation for Israeli expropriation of Palestinian land, the building of settlements and attacks Hamas claims Israeli undercover units have been carrying out on its activists in the territories. An Izzidin al-Qassam member was shot to death last week in Jericho, the only West Bank town controlled by the PLO. Hamas blamed Israel for that attack.

Reporters who visited Radi’s house Sunday found his mother, Sabra Radi, surrounded by friends and Hamas members singing Palestinian songs. “My son has reached the highest honor,” she told reporters. “I am happy and proud. My head can be held up high now.”

The Palestinian Authority issued a statement condemning Sunday’s bombing shortly after it occurred, saying: “The Palestinian Authority and (PLO) Chairman (Yasser) Arafat condemn this criminal act that took place on the holiest day of the birth of Jesus Christ.” The authority conveyed “sincere hopes” for the victims’ recovery.

Sunday’s bombing took place just hours after Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem had eased the sense of gloom that has pervaded the Israeli-occupied West Bank since negotiations between Israel and the PLO bogged down several months ago over security issues.

An estimated 20,000 people gathered in Bethlehem’s Manger Square on Saturday night to celebrate the first Christmas Eve midnight Mass since the Palestinian Authority took over responsibility for tourism in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Fireworks and choirs marked the birth of Jesus, as Palestinians and foreign pilgrims celebrated in a square decorated with Christmas trees, portraits of Arafat and fluttering Palestinian flags.

The successful Christmas Mass distracted attention, temporarily, from the difficulty Israel and the Palestinians are having in agreeing on how to expand Palestinian control throughout the West Bank. Under terms of the accord, the two sides signed in September, 1993, Israeli troops should already have redeployed out of Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank.

But Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and other Israeli officials have cited attacks--such as Sunday morning’s--as evidence that Palestinian police cannot ensure the security of about 120,000 Jewish settlers living in the West Bank if Israel pulls its troops out of population centers.

Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the opposition Likud Party, declared shortly after Sunday’s attack that others like it would take place if the government redeploys in the West Bank.

Sunday’s bombing was “the manifestation of the government’s policy,” he told Israel Radio, and such attacks would be “a lot more frequent and a lot more deadly,” if redeployment goes ahead.