Israeli bus drivers absorb shock of attacks

"When I get close to a bus stop, I scan people ahead of time," says Israeli bus driver Eli Benshushan. "I look at everyone."

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- The real terrorism in Israel, said bus driver Eli Benshushan, is not the suicide bombings, but the space between them in which Israelis live in a constant state of anxiety, nervousness and fear.

"Nowadays you just pray," he said. "There isn't much you can do."

Benshushan has been driving public buses in Israel for three years. Ninety people have been killed and more than 500 have been wounded in terror attacks on buses or at bus stops, since the current Palestinian intifada began in September 2000.

Twenty-six of those victims died last week in two attacks in Jerusalem, including Benshushan's friend, Rahamim Zidkiyahu, 51. Zidkiyahu was driving Egged bus No. 32A on June 18 when a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing 19 people. Zidkiyahu was behind the wheel that day only because he volunteered to fill in for a colleague who was late for work.

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"Nice guy, lovely guy. He likes to party. He invites all his friends over; they do barbecues," Benshushan said. "He's a nice fellow, God rest his soul."

Benshushan has been trained how to spot and react to potential suicide bombers. He can refuse to pick up passengers, but he said he rarely does.

"When I get close to a bus stop, I scan people ahead of time," he said. "I look at everyone."

Benshushan looks for people carrying oversize bags or wearing big jackets in the summer. The task becomes more difficult in the winter, he said, because everyone wears jackets.

"You look for someone who is nervous, sweating and doesn't know whether to get on or not," Benshushan said. "When I ask him questions and he doesn't know where he is going, something is wrong."

Public transportation is essential for many Israelis. Cars are expensive to own and keep running, and many people can't afford to take taxis. Every day, more than 1 million Israelis take their chances on a bus.

"I am worried; of course, I am worried," Benshushan said. "It is not easy to live in such a situation. Nobody likes to live under terror and worry that if you leave home you might not come back.

"I feel like I am a bus driver, security guard. A soldier? Yes, I guess. We are in a fight for our country."