US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Friday condemned the terror attacks on Israelis, calling on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to act against those responsible for the terrorist actions.
Powell told reporters at an unscheduled news conference that the US President George W. Bush and his national security team have been following the "very serious situation" in the Middle East since Thursday night.
"The president, I, all of colleagues, the United States' people condemn in the strongest possible terms this series of terror attacks, including this morning's Jerusalem bombings and the otheracts of terrorism," Powell said.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has promised the United States that Israel would not harm Palestinian leader Yasser Arafatduring its assault on his compound in the West Bank,
He said Sharon told him that "whatever actions they might decide to take, it would not include bringing any harm to Chairman Arafat or killing him, and subsequent statements by Israeli officials suggest that it is not their intention either to capture him. They have determined to isolate him."
Powell said Bush and he were "gravely concerned" at the situation in Ramallah. "We deplore the killing and wounding of innocent Palestinians there."
( March 30, 2002)
