[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 41 (Monday, October 16, 2000)]
[Page 2447]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With the National Security Team

October 12, 2000

Situation in the Middle East/U.S.S. Cole

    The President. I have just been meeting with my national security 
team on today's tragic events in the Middle East, and I would like to 
make a brief statement.
    First, as you know, an explosion claimed the lives of at least four 
sailors on one of our naval vessels, the U.S.S. Cole, this morning. Many 
were injured; a number are still missing. They were simply doing their 
duty. The ship was refueling in a port in Yemen while en route to the 
Persian Gulf. We're rushing medical assistance to the scene, and our 
prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones or are 
still awaiting news.
    If, as it now appears, this was an act of terrorism, it was a 
despicable and cowardly act. We will find out who was responsible and 
hold them accountable. If their intention was to deter us from our 
mission of promoting peace and security in the Middle East, they will 
fail utterly.
    I have directed the Department of Defense, the FBI, and the State 
Department to send officials to Yemen to begin the investigation. 
Secretary Albright has spoken with President Salih of Yemen, and we 
expect to work closely with his government to that effect.
    Our military forces and our Embassies in the region have been on 
heightened state of alert for some time now. I have ordered our ships in 
the region to pull out of port and our land forces to increase their 
security.
    Tensions are extremely high today throughout the entire region, as 
all of you know. I strongly condemn the murder of Israeli soldiers in 
Ram Allah today. While I understand the anguish Palestinians feel over 
the losses they have suffered, there can be no possible justification 
for mob violence. I call on both sides to undertake a cease-fire 
immediately and immediately to condemn all acts of violence.
    Finally, let me say this. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of 
the greatest tragedies and most difficult problems of our time. But it 
can be solved. The progress of the last few years--progress that brought 
Israel to the hope of a final peace with true security and Palestinians 
to the hope of a sovereign state recognized by the entire world--was not 
made through violence. It happened because both sides sat down together, 
negotiated, and slowly built up the trust that violence destroys.
    Now is the time to stop the bloodshed, to restore calm, to return to 
dialog and ultimately to the negotiating table. The alternative to the 
peace process is now no longer merely hypothetical. It is unfolding 
today before our very eyes.
    Now I need to go back to work on this, and so I won't take questions 
right now. But the Department of Defense will offer a briefing today and 
will be able to answer the questions that are relevant to today's 
events.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 1:47 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to President Ali Salih of Yemen.