The Palestinian Authority’s apathy toward stopping terrorist attacks against Israel has hindered any hope right now for long-term peace in the region, an Israeli press coordinator said Wednesday at Kansas University.

Earlier, while traveling to Lawrence, David Baker provided a statement to American and other non-Israeli media members from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon after a suicide bomber killed five people Wednesday morning in Israel.

Baker spoke Wednesday evening to about 50 KU students at the Burge Union, and he condemned comments made Wednesday by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad “for Israel to be wiped off the map.”

“We see the very short distance between terrorist rhetoric to when we see terrorists who go out and perpetrate terrorist deeds,” Baker said.

During his remarks, Baker focused mostly on Israel’s attempt to return to normalcy after many suicide bombings since 2002 and media coverage of Israel and the Middle East conflict.

While he gave some praise to American media, Baker said that suicide bombings and military action tended to get more coverage because of their breaking news angle. Journalists give less attention to the daily struggles and fears of terrorism in Israel because there are “no pictures,” he said.

He said the Israeli pullout from settlements in the Gaza Strip and West Bank earlier this year showed how Israel works as a Western democracy compared to other states in the region. But he saw firsthand the difficulty of making settlers leave their homes.

A Zionist who moved to Israel from New York 20 years ago, Baker encouraged the students to visit Israel and stay in touch with the nearest Israeli Consulate, in Chicago.

Baker also said life will be easier for Palestinians once their leadership not only condemns but thwarts terrorist groups and their efforts. “We want (Palestinians) to be able to share in Israel’s and the region’s success,” he said.