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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 17, 2002

Statement by the President
Tel Aviv and West Bank Terrorist Attacks

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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