Tel Aviv Terror Outrage Encouraged By Arafat's Refusal to End Violence

American Jewish Committee
Friday, 1 June 2001

The American Jewish Committee expressed horror and outrage over tonight's Palestinian terrorist bombing attack in Tel Aviv, which killed at least 15 Israelis and injured dozens of Israelis. "Our hearts go out to the victims of this cowardly and despicable act," said the American Jewish Committee, "an act of terror that is part of the Palestinian Authority's war against the Israeli and Jewish people."

"Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's inexplicable rejection of Israel's cease-fire call has given further encouragement to Palestinian terrorists to strike, as they did today in Tel Aviv, as they did in suicide bombing attacks in Hadera on May 25, and in Netanya on May 18, and as they have attempted to do on numerous other occasions in recent months," said the American Jewish Committee.

"Not only has the Palestinian leadership rejected Israel's overtures, but today they also spurned UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's urgent call for Arafat to join with Prime Minister Sharon in a cease-fire," said the American Jewish Committee. "The world is recognizing that only the Palestinian leadership can end the campaign of violence and terror they initiated last September."

"Last summer, at Camp David, Israel presented the Palestinians with an historic offer to achieve real peace, with far-reaching compromises on every major issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But Palestinian leaders inexplicably rejected an opportunity to fulfill their people's aspirations and achieve real peace," said the American Jewish Committee.

"To Israel's forward-looking offer Arafat never gave a reply, not to Israel and not to the United States. Instead, the Palestinians, with his encouragement, launched last September a campaign of violence that, after more than eight months, has needlessly and tragically cost the lives of hundreds of Palestinians and Israelis, and brought inestimable damage to the Palestinian economy," said the American Jewish Committee.

"The Palestinian leadership knows well that the significant achievements in peacemaking – including transferring to Palestinian control all major towns in Gaza and the West Bank, and 98 percent of the Palestinian population – resulted from direct, face to face, negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, not from violence.

"Despite significant gains at the negotiating table, Arafat has chosen hatred over reconciliation, violence over peace," said the American Jewish Committee. "Israel's hand for peace is still outstretched. The Palestinian leadership should grab it and join Israelis in the quest for peace."

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