    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [March 4, 1996]
    [Pages 359-360]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Terrorist Attack in Israel and an Exchange With Reporters
    in Taylor
    March 4, 1996

        The President. I want to express my deep anger at the news of this
    latest bombing in Israel and to reaffirm the determination of the United
    States to do all we can to work with our friends in the Middle East to
    stop the killing, to bring the killers to justice, and ensure that
    terrorism does not triumph over peace in the Middle East.
        Once again the enemies of peace have murdered completely innocent
    Israeli citizens, including children, in their hysterical, determined,
    fanatic attempt to kill all hope of peace between Israel and
    Palestinians and others in the Middle East. We must again state our
    determination that these forces of terror shall not triumph.
        Together with those who have worked so hard for lasting peace in the
    Middle East, the United States is committed to confronting this
    challenge and to prevailing over these forces of hate and violence. As
    we offer our prayers for the victims of the latest tragedy, we also
    reaffirm our commitment to the peace.
        As I said earlier this morning and I would like to repeat again, it
    is ironic that I'm here in this community where I was slated to come
    last November but had to put it off to go to Israel for Prime Minister
    Rabin's funeral. The forces which led to his killing, as much as they
    claim to hate the forces that have been behind this latest round of
    bombing of innocent Israeli citizens, have one thing in common: They
    live for division. They live for the continuation of the violence and
    the hatred in the Middle East. They are even willing, as we see today,
    to kill themselves, members of their own groups, just to keep people
    living on hatred and division.
        We must not give in to that. We must fight it. We must fight it with
    all the resources at our command. And the United States will do
    everything we can to support Israel and the other friends of peace in
    the Middle East.
        Thank you.
        Q. Mr. President, are you convinced that Yasser Arafat has done all
    that he can to control Hamas? Many Israelis believe that he has just

    [[Page 360]]

    turned a blind eye and has talked about things but not really done what
    needs to be done.
        The President. Because it is a relatively new government it may be
    impossible ever to know for sure. But I am convinced that he wants
    peace. And I am convinced that he will now answer the call that I have
    issued, that the Israeli Prime Minister has issued, that others have
    issued, to do more.
        And what I want to say to all my fellow Americans, what you are
    seeing here is an example of what has the potential to infect other
    countries all across the world. You saw it in the Japanese subway. You
    saw it in the Oklahoma City bombing. You see this going around the
    world, but it is more prevalent, more sustained, more well-organized in
    the Middle East. And there are people there really literally willing to
    die just to keep the division and the hatred and the violence going.
        I believe that Mr. Arafat will have to do more. I believe everyone
    else will have to do more. He will have to do everything he can up to
    the limits of whatever capacities they have, and the rest of us will
    have to do our part as well.
        Q. Have you talked to him?
        Q. To follow on that, sir, do you think the Israelis should exercise
    restraint and not retaliate?
        The President. I think that we will have to do--we have to stand
    with the proposition that those who are responsible for this should be
    held accountable for it. And we will do what we can to support them in
    that regard.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:02 p.m. at the Department of Public
    Works.