MIDDLE EAST: President Bush yesterday condemned two suicide bombings in Israel in the last two days that shattered more than a month of calm.
"I do want to express our condolences to those who lost their life in Israel. It's been back-to-back suicide bombings.
"We strongly condemn terror. We strongly condemn violence," Mr Bush told reporters as he met the US Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, at the White House.
"We continue to send our message to the good people of that region, that if you're interested in peace, that if you want people to be able to grow up in a peaceful world, all parties must do everything they can to reject and stop violence."
A suspected Palestinian suicide bomber detonated explosives on a crowded bus in central Tel Aviv yesterday, killing at least five people and wounding about 40, police said.
On Wednesday, a Palestinian suicide bomber waiting to board a bus in northern Israel detonated his explosives when a police officer approached him, killing himself and the officer.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, was expected to convene his security cabinet later yesterday to consider what action to take.