Arabs, Allies Asked To Help Thwart Suicide Bombings

The Clinton administration appealed to European allies and two friendly Arab governments Friday to clamp down on terrorists whose suicide bombings in Israel have stalled Middle East peacemaking.

The appeal aims to deny sanctuary, funds and mobility to militant groups whose attacks have caused Israelis to question pursuing land-for-peace deals with Syria and the Palestine Liberation Organization and entrusting Gaza and West Bank security to Palestinian police.

Diplomats and counterterrorism experts from 27 countries, the European Community and the Palestinian Authority met at the State Department for two days to discuss how to thwart murderous infiltrators and to help financially Palestinians kept from their jobs by Israel’s sealed borders.

They recommended facilitating the sharing of information about terrorist groups, using extradition treaties more effectively to punish terrorists, tightening border controls and eliminating terrorists’ sources of money, U.S. officials reported at a briefing that shielded their identities.

“All of these nations in various ways have suffered,” one said. They “are looking for ways to improve their defenses.”