The United States on Wednesday strongly condemned a Palestinian suicide bombing that killed five Israelis and left 26 wounded in the northern Israeli town of Hadera.

"We condemn it in the strongest possible terms," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said after the Islamic Jihad movement claimed responsibility for what was the first deadly attack inside Israel since July.

McClellan also reiterated US call for Palestinian leaders "to do more to end the violence and prevent terrorist attacks from being carried out."

"The suicide bombing that took place today in northern Israel is a heinous attack on innocent civilians," he said, noting "The terrorist attacks that take place only undermine the leadership of (Palestinian) President (Mahmud) Abbas and undermine his principle of one authority, one law, one gun."

Following his visit to the United States in May, Abbas visited last week the White House where US President George W. Bush urged the Palestinian leadership to crack down on terror and Israel to stop settlements expansion.

"The Palestinian Authority must earn the confidence of its neighbors by rejecting and fighting terrorism," Bush said.

Source: Xinhua