[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 29 (Monday, July 22, 2002)]
[Pages 1221-1222]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the Tel Aviv and West Bank Terrorist Attacks

July 17, 2002

    I offer my deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of 
those killed and to the wounded in the homicide bomb attack today in Tel 
Aviv and the attack yesterday in the West Bank. The American people and 
I condemn these despicable acts of terror.
    Once again, terrorist violence directed against Israelis has taken 
innocent life. Peace cannot be built on a platform of violence against 
innocents.
    These terrorist acts are also attacks on our efforts to restore hope 
to the Palestinian people. There is now broad international consensus--
as evidenced by the meetings this week in Washington and New York--on 
the need to support Palestinian reform, address the urgent humanitarian 
needs of the Palestinian people, and restore momentum toward a two-state 
solution. As I said on June 24, the hopes of a few cannot be allowed to 
hold the hopes of many hostage.

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