    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
    [March 13, 1997]
    [Page 295]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Attack on Israeli Schoolchildren and an Exchange With
    Reporters
    March 13, 1997

        The President. Today along the normally peaceful border between
    Israel and Jordan, we have seen an inexcusable and tragic act of
    violence against schoolchildren. I condemn this act in the strongest
    possible terms. I offer to Prime Minister Netanyahu, the Israeli people,
    and the families and friends of the innocent children who died or were
    wounded my profound condolences and those of the American people.
        As I travel to North Carolina today to speak to people about our own
    schoolchildren, the senseless denial of a future for these young Israeli
    children will bear heavily on my mind. There is no justification or
    excuse for these acts. Now the leaders in the region must work hard to
    calm the situation, to do everything in their power to create an
    atmosphere in which violence is rejected rather than embraced.
        I call on the leaders and the people of the region to reject
    violence, to redouble their efforts toward peace and reconciliation. I
    was encouraged by the statement which King Hussein issued not long ago--
    just a few moments ago--and I am very hopeful that the leaders and the
    people will respond in an appropriate manner.
        Thank you.

    Jerusalem Settlements

        Q. Mr. President, do you believe the Israelis have to halt the
    settlements in East Jerusalem at this point? Do you think that might
    help calm the situation there?
        The President. Let me first say that there is no evidence at this
    moment that this terrible incident is related to the tensions in the
    area over the issues. For all we know, this may have been just a
    deranged person. And I think it is important, given King Hussein and
    Jordan's long record of reaching for peace and reconciliation, that no
    one jump to any undue conclusions.
        We don't have the facts. None of us have any facts other than we
    know this incident occurred. But we have no reason to believe that this
    was politically motivated by any larger group or anything. We just don't
    know that.
        But you know what I believe. I believe that this is a time when we
    need to be building confidence and working together and there needs to
    be a certain mutuality of action in the Middle East to get this peace
    process well underway. That is what I had hoped would happen after the
    Hebron agreement, and that is still what I believe has to happen if
    we're going to succeed.
        So we'll be talking to all the parties, and I'm in more or less
    constant contact with them. And we'll continue to be hopeful. But for
    right now, I think we need to give the people of Israel the time to
    absorb this terrible shock.
        Thank you.
        Q. Have you had a chance to talk to King Hussein?
        The President. No.

    Note: The President spoke at 8:36 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White
    House, prior to his departure for Raleigh, NC. In his remarks, he
    referred to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of Israel and King Hussein
    I of Jordan.