Thomas Daschle: “Every American deplores the bombings in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in the past days. The Tel Aviv bombing was a senseless…”

“Every American deplores the bombings in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in the past days. The Tel Aviv bombing was a senseless act of violence cynically targeted to hit as many innocent people as possible at a shopping mall on a school holiday commemorating what is to be a joyous holiday of Purim. Once again, a suicide bomber did this awful deed; people are dead and injured; a nation is stricken; and the peace process is further jeopardized. Ironically, Purim commemorates the time in which Esther, a Jewish heroine, convicted her husband to stop the slaughter of the Jews. There was no modern day Esther Monday in Tel Aviv. Monday's bombing follows Sunday's in Jerusalem, which took place on a street down which I have walked. I can see with terrible clarity the horror of Sunday's bombing. Mr. President, along with my colleagues, the President, and all Americans, I offer my condolences to the families of those killed and injured. I fear for the future of the peace process, which offers hope that, maybe, some day, Israelis and Palestinians can walk down these same streets in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in peace, free of the fear that they may be the terrorists' next victims. I join the President in pledging to do all we can to stop this senseless slaughter; apprehend the terrorists and bring them to justice; and get the peace process back on track.”