The bus bombing in Jerusalem came one day after Israeli strikes killed eight people in Gaza, including four civilians—a grandfather and three teenage boys. Another 10 Palestinians were wounded, including children, some of them seriously. The Obama administration has condemned the attack on Israeli civilians but has rejected a similar stance for Israel’s deadlier attacks on Palestinian civilians. In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized Palestinian militants for “terrorism and targeting of civilians.” But when it came to Palestinian civilian deaths by the U.S.-armed Israeli military, Clinton said only that the U.S. extends “sincere condolences.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “The United States is committed to Israel’s security, and we strongly condemn this violence and extend our deepest sympathies to all those affected. We also strongly condemn recent rocket attacks from Gaza against innocent Israeli civilians and hold fully responsible the militants perpetrating these attacks. And I join President Obama in extending our sincere condolences to the friends and families of the Palestinian civilians killed in Gaza yesterday and appreciate that Israel has expressed regret.”