Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office has instructed the cabinet not to make comments equating the series of bombings that rocked London on Thursday with the situation in Israel, local newspaper Ha'aretz reported Friday.
"It's not a story with anything to do with Israel. It's a story of international terrorism in Britain and therefore we should be quiet," an office source was quoted as saying.
He added that the London bombings "is not our incident and there is no need to talk (about it) beyond expressing shock."
After the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 against the United States, Israel had made some efforts on international media to impress upon the world that global terror and Palestinian attacks against Israelis were a common cause.
But for this time, the source indicated that part of the reason for such circumspection stemmed from the high level of " speculation" concerning the attacks.
He specifically referred to a report that came out soon after Thursday's bombings in London, saying that Israel had realized the "danger that this kind of report can bring to Israel."
At least 37 people have been killed and some 700 others injured so far in several nearly simultaneous blasts Thursday that tore through crowded London underground trains and ripped the roof off a double-decker bus during morning rush hour.
The previously unknown "Secret Group of al-Qaida's Jihad in Europe" claimed responsibility for the attacks, but British and US officials said it was not clear if the group was authentic.
On learning of the terror attacks Thursday morning, Sharon telephoned British Ambassador to Israel Simon McDonald and asked him to pass on to British Prime Minister Tony Blair the Israeli government's shock at the "heinous crime committed against innocent British civilians."
Sharon also asked to convey the Israeli people's condolences to the bereaved families and the British people, saying "the world must unite in the war against terror" and Israel was ready to provide any assistance, medical or otherwise, that Britain may require.
Israeli President Moshe Katsav also sent a telegram of condolences to Queen Elizabeth II. "Every individual has the basic right to live without fear of terror and violence," Katsav wrote.