The terrorist group known as Palestinian Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in the Israeli coastal city of Netanya. Five people were killed and more than thirty were wounded in the attack. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the bombing and gave orders to arrest those responsible. But U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli says Palestinian authorities must do more to stop such attacks:
“The attack once again reminds us of the importance of all sides to do everything possible to contain violence and to tackle terror. The Palestinian Authority must take immediate steps to prevent these attacks, to end the violence, and to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism.”
To achieve the goal of an independent Palestinian state, the Palestinian Authority must put a stop to terrorism. And so must those governments that support terrorist groups against Israel. Palestinian Islamic Jihad is based in Damascus, Syria. State Department deputy spokesman Ereli says it is time Syria took action against this terrorist group:
“The organization that claims responsibility for this attack is Palestinian-Islamic Jihad, and they have their headquarters in Damascus. So if anybody needed a reminder, this is it, that the Syrian government should take immediate steps to crackdown on this group and to inhibit its activities by shutting down Islamic Jihad offices and expelling its personnel.”
President George W. Bush says the United States “is determined to deny radical groups the support and sanctuary of outlaw regimes. State sponsors like Syria and Iran,” said Mr. Bush, “have a long history of collaboration with terrorists, and they deserve no patience from the victims of terror.”
The preceding was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States Government.