A palestinian militant blew himself up outside a crowded cafe in northern Israel yesterday, killing himself and wounding at least 30 bystanders in what the Islamic Jihadsgroupssaid was a show of support for Iraq.

　　In 30 months of Israeli-Palestinian fighting, militants have carried out scores of bombings, but have usually refrained from citing other conflicts as a motive. Israeli officials said that since the start of the US-led war against Iraq 10 days ago, they've been on high alert for a new wave of bombings by Palestinian militants who are presumably eager to express support for Iraq.

　　Islamic Jihad identified yesterday's assailant as 19-year-old Rami Ghanem from the village of Deir Al Ghas-soon near the northern West Bank town of Tulkarem. An Islamic Jihad spokesman said that the blast was meant to coincide with Land Day - a day of protests against land confiscations marked by Israeli Arabs - but was also intended as "a gift to the Iraqi people."

　　The spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Islamic Jihad is sending more volunteers to Iraq "to blow themselves up among the American and British forces."

　　The spokesman said the volunteers would be Palestinians living in Arab countries. The Netanya blast came a day after an Iraqi soldier killed four US troops in a suicide bombing - the first of the Iraq war.

　　The Netanya bomber set off 2-3 kilograms of nail-studded explosives shortly before 1 pm near Cafe London, a popular outdoor restaurant along Netanya's crowded pedestrian mall.

　　Asgroupsof soldiers stood near the entrance at the time, making it impossible for the bomber to enter, and he blew himself up outside, police said, disputing an initial report that a security guard had kept away the bomber.

　　"There was a huge explosion," said a worker at a nearby fish restaurant, who would only give his first name, Herzl. "I saw two soldiers thrown to the ground and the terrorist ripped to pieces at the entrance."

　　At least six of the wounded were in serious condition, hospital officials said. The bomber's mangled body lay on the pavement. Chairs and tables were overturned, and the sidewalk was littered with torn clothing, broken plates and bits of flesh.

　　Israeli officials said they have been on alert for a new wave of Palestinian attacks because of the offensive against Iraq. "The (Palestinian) motivation to harm Israel and to help the Iraqi struggle is well known to us and it comes across in all the intelligence reports," said Israel's police minister, Tsahi Hanegbi.

　　Yesterday's blast was the first suicide bombing since March 5, when 17 Israelis were killed in a bus blast in the northern port city of Haifa.