Israel urged to show restraint

Israeli investigators examine the scene of the Monday bombing.

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VIDEO CNN's Jerrold Kessel a vehicle carrying explosives drove into the side of a bus which had stopped to pick up passengers in northern Israel (October 21) PLAY VIDEO Fourteen people were killed when a suicide bomber exploded a vehicle next to a bus packed with passengers near Hadera in northern Israel. (October 21) PLAY VIDEO SPECIAL REPORT • Interactive: Road map explainer • Interactive: Timeline • Map: Occupied lands • Interactive: Key Players • Gallery: Mideast lands •  Special Report RELATED • Special Report: Victims of Terror

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As the White House condemned Monday's terror attack in Israel that killed 14 people and wounded about 50 more, a senior Bush administration official urged the Israelis to reconsider whether to retaliate.

A suicide bomber drove a vehicle loaded with explosives next to a bus packed with passengers just before afternoon rush hour near the city of Hadera in northern Israel.

Most of the casualties were aboard the bus, which was set afire by the blast at a bus stop in Karkur Junction. (Full story)

The U.S. official said: "We respect the right for Israel to fight terrorism, but we also ask Israel to consider the consequences of its actions."

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said: "It's another reminder of how it's so important for peace to be pursued and for terror to be stopped."

The call for restraint came as Israeli officials were urging that the remaining Palestinian security forces be disbanded.

Israeli officials said the militant Islamic Jihad movement claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The officials said the terrorist organization said the attack was in retaliation for the recent Israeli military operations that resulted in Palestinian civilian deaths.

President Bush, who is working to focus world attention on the terrorist threat he contends is posed by Iraq, recently sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon warning him to be mindful of the consequences of his actions.

An Israeli spokesman said Monday's bombing was intended to undermine U.S. Assistant Secretary of State William Burns' visit to the country. He was scheduled to arrive Wednesday.

U.S. officials said Burns has no plans to change his itinerary. Burns has been talking with Russia, China, the European Union, and the United Nations on how to move the Middle East peace process forward.

Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat has also condemned the bombing, but Israeli officials said they still hold him responsible. Arafat's security forces have not made a serious attempt to prevent such attacks, they said.

The Palestinians responded that Israel's military strikes have made it impossible for Palestinian security forces to take on terrorists.

Israel blockaded Arafat's Ramallah compound for 10 days after a bomb attack in September. Hard-line Israeli Cabinet ministers have called for Arafat's expulsion from the region.

But, a senior Bush administration official warned: "We don't think Arafat is the issue and we don't think Israel should make him the issue."

-- CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux contributed to this report

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