In his strongest criticism of Israel since taking office, US President George Bush said yesterday he was "troubled" by the Israeli helicopter attack against a senior Hamas figure in Gaza and directed his top aides to complain to the Israeli government. Conor O'Clery in New York and Peter Hirschberg in Jerusalem report.
The attempt to kill Abdel Aziz Rantisi, a political spokesman for the Islamic organisation, "doesn't help Israeli security", Mr Bush said, in a flat rejection of the argument frequently put forward by Israel - and before now accepted by Washington - for attacks on the occupied territories.
The helicopter attack on Mr Rantisi (56), the most high-profile political figure in Hamas to be targeted by Israel since the intifada erupted 32 months ago, began before noon when three Apache helicopters unleashed seven missiles at the Jeep Pajero in which he was driving.
Mr Rantisi was saved when he jumped out of the vehicle when the first missile hit. Two bystanders, a three-year-old girl and a bodyguard, were killed and 30 Palestinians injured.
Later, Israeli tanks and helicopters fired towards a Palestinian residential area in the northern Gaza Strip, killing three members of one Palestinian family and wounding 30 others, after Palestinians had fired six rockets from northern Gaza, four of which landed in Israel.
The second Israeli attack came even after White House spokesman Mr Ari Fleischer had said earlier that Mr Bush was "deeply troubled" at the attempt on Mr Rantisi's life.
Mr Sharon said last night that Israel "will continue to fight terror as long as no-one on the other side is doing it" .
But some Israeli politicians questioned the wisdom and timing of the attack, saying it endangered the US-backed road map and served only to boost Hamas' popularity among Palestinians.
The White House clearly believes the esclation of violence has greviously undermined the US-brokered impetus towards peace on which Mr Bush has staked his personal prestige.
With the rapidly dissipation of the optimism projected by the White House at the Jordan summit last week with the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers, Mr Bush said: "I am troubled by the latest Israeli helicopter gunship attacks. I regret the innocent loss of life. I am concerned that the attacks will make it more difficult for the Palestinian leadership to fight off terrorist attacks."
Speaking to reporters in the Oval office before a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda yesterday afternoon, he added: "I also don't believe the attacks help the Israeli security." He reiterated his determination to push ahead with the road map for peace which he said would lead to a secure Israel and a Palestinian state.
"I believe with responsible leadership by all parties, we can bring peace to the region. And I emphasise, all parties must behave responsibly to achieve that objective."
Earlier Mr Fleischer said that Mr Bush was "concerned that this strike will undermine efforts by the Palestinian Authority and others to bring an end to terrorist attacks".
He said the President had directed top aides to carry that message to the Israelis and to the Palestinians.
He said no direct call was made to Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon about the attack, which Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas called a terrorist attack.
Mr Abbas has been encouraging Hamas to call a ceasefire but the organisation threatened revenge "that will be like an earthquake".
US Secretary of State Colin Powell, on a visit to Argentina, also weighed in, saying,:"We are deeply troubled by what happened in Gaza earlier today and we are concerned that this kind of activity will delay the kind of progress we are hoping for as we move down the road map."