JERUSALEM (AP) - Yasser Arafat has condemned terrorist attacks in recent months, resulting in temporary lulls, but no cessation of Palestinian suicide bombings against Israel. Just moments after the Palestinian leader issues his latest call, the militant Islamic group Hamas announces it has no intention of halting attacks. "We have the full right to react without any limitation against the state terrorism of Israel," said Ismail Abu Shanab, spokesman for the Islamic militant group Hamas, which has carried out more suicide attacks than any other group. After a suicide bombing on Friday in Jerusalem that killed six people in a crowded open-air market, the United States demanded that Arafat denounce the act before any meeting with visiting Secretary of State Colin Powell. "We strongly condemn all attacks targeting civilians from both sides, and especially the attack that took place against Israeli citizens yesterday in Jerusalem," said Arafat's statement, which was read by announcers on Palestinian radio and television. Such statements by the Palestinian leadership have become routine after suicide bombings. The only thing slightly unusual about this is that Arafat's name was attached to it, not only the Palestinian leadership. The Israeli government and Hamas - bitter enemies who agree on almost nothing - have both said they placed no real value on Arafat statement. "We want deeds, not words," said Danny Ayalon, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Arafat "cannot keep the strategy of terror and expect us to be impressed by condemnations repeatedly." "We in Hamas as well as the Palestinian people know that this statement came as a result of pressure the Americans placed on the Palestinian leadership," said Shanab, the Hamas spokesman. Throughout the 18 months of Mideast fighting, Israel has held Arafat responsible for the attacks, saying the Palestinian security forces have failed to prevent the violence and that Arafat supporters have also taken part in shootings and bombings. In his most explicit denunciation of Palestinian violence, Arafat gave a televised speech last Dec. 16, saying, "I am reiterating my call for a comprehensive cessation to all the armed activities ... especially the suicide attacks that we always condemn." Following that speech, no Israelis were killed by Palestinian attackers for more than three weeks - the longest such period since the fighting began in September 2000. Some Israelis said this showed that Arafat could halt or at least greatly reduce the violence if he wanted. But more than 20 Palestinians were killed in the same period, and the Palestinians said this showed that the Israelis were not reciprocating. The violence picked up again in January, and since then the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a militia linked to Arafat's Fatah movement, has carried out many of the deadliest attacks, including Friday's suicide bombing. The group says it is loyal to Arafat but that he does not know about its plans to carry out bombings and shootings. Arafat also wrote an op-ed piece that appeared in the New York Times on Feb. 3, which used strong language to denounce terror attacks. "I condemn the attacks carried out by terrorist groups against Israeli civilians," Arafat wrote. "These groups do not represent the Palestinian people or their legitimate aspirations for freedom. They are terrorist organizations." But Israel said such statements were not followed up by arrests of militants. The Palestinians say they have arrested some militants, but can't be expected to crack down at a time when Israeli was regularly attacking the Palestinian security forces.

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