Rehovot train station briefly evacuated over bomb scare

A train station in central Israel was evacuated for two hours on Wednesday morning amid concerns over a possible explosive device in the building, but it was reopened after no such bomb was found, police said.

A police spokesperson said a tourist’s bag “aroused the suspicion” of security guards at the Rehovot train station, who feared that it could contain an explosive device.

According to the Walla news site, the tourist was from Pakistan and his bag contained a metal container and clothing hangers, which the guards apparently thought were nails.

He was likely passing through the Rehovot train station on his way to the Weizmann Institute of Science, which is located around the corner.

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The guards called in police, who cleared the train station shortly before 9 a.m. A bomb-disarming robot could be seen entering the building shortly thereafter.

“The area was cleared, and sappers conducted a thorough search, during which the concerns of an explosive device were removed,” police said in a statement.

The station was reopened approximately two hours after it had been closed.

The evacuation of the train station caused severe delays on the Israeli rail system.