Minister Cowen condemns suicide bomb attack in Jerusalem
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen, T.D., condemned today's suicide bomb attack in Jerusalem and other violent incidents in the past few days. He offered his condolences to the families of those killed and his wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured.
The Minister called for an end to this surge in violence. He warned that these latest killings create a danger of losing the momentum gained from last weeks positive statements by the Israeli and Palestinian leaders and by President Bush. The Minister reiterated his call for both parties to remain firmly committed to the Roadmap. It provides an historic opportunity for peace which must not be missed. He said that the enemies of peace who have perpetrated these killings must not be allowed to derail the peace process. He said it would be tragic if the hard work and courageous decisions of Israeli and Palestinian leaders, backed up by a united international community, were to be nullified by the actions of terrorists. He called on the Israeli authorities to show restraint in response to these attacks. He also called on the Palestinian leaders to press forward with their efforts to put an end to such atrocities and deliver a lasting ceasefire.
