JERUSALEM, April 12 (IslamOnline& News Agencies) - A bomb attack rocked central Jerusalem shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell admitted his failure to reach an immediate agreement with the Israelis for a halt to their military operation in the West Bank.

The bomb blast killed at least six people and injured 60, of whom four are in critical conditions.

It occurred in the late afternoon as shoppers were preparing for the Jewish Sabbath in the nearby Mahane Yehuda market and Israeli Police forces closed off the streets near the market, reported BBC’s online news service.

For his part, Powell said no timetable had been agreed for a pullout of the Israeli army from reoccupied Palestinian territories, but he claimed he would have further meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the coming days to serve this purpose. Yet, Sharon gave no commitment on when the military operation would end.

"Israel is conducting a war against the Palestinian infrastructure of terror and hopes to end it as soon as possible," Sharon said at a news conference with Powell.

Powell said he and Sharon had a "mutual commitment" to bring the two sides to negotiations toward a peace settlement that would eventually lead to a Palestinian state.

In what appeared to be a gesture ahead of Powell's arrival, Israeli forces moved into a new village: Kalil near the northern city of Nablus. Also, Israeli military activity is still in progress in a number of other cities including Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Dura and Dahariyah, south of Hebron.

Israel's army says 4,185 Palestinians have been abducted since the operation began two weeks ago.

Sharon cast the military operation as a prudent response to terrorist attacks.

"The bombers' terrorism represents a danger for Israel and the entire free world," Sharon claimed. "Israel is the only democracy in the world in which there are guards in every school and in every kindergarten in order to protect the children against Palestinian terrorism."

Although Sharon offered no timetable for ending the two-week military thrust, Powell said the Prime Minister "is anxious to bring these operations to an end."

Sharon proudly added: "The American people have stood by and with Israel for many years ... and it is a friendship that can never be broken."

Powell came to Israel late Thursday from four days of talks with Arab leaders, all of whom demanded Israel quit the West Bank and turn it over to Arafat for a state.

The United States threatens to cut off relations with the Palestinian leader if he continues to defend his cause , what the U.S. called “terrorism”, a senior U.S. official said.