CLINTON VOWS TO HELP ISRAEL END THE KILLING.

Byline: Steven Erlanger The New York Times

As Israeli negotiators flew home Monday from the suspended peace talks with Syria, President Clinton condemned the latest bombings in Israel and vowed that the United States would help Israel to "stop the killings, to bring the killers to justice."

Clinton, in Detroit on a political fund-raising trip, summoned top aides to the White House to consider ways of helping Israel and the Palestinian Authority of Yasser Arafat combat the attacks.

Four suicide bombings in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv over the past four days by Hamas, a militant Islamic movement, appear to be aimed at thwarting the peace accord between Israel and the PLO and at damaging the election chances of the Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, administration officials say.

Secretary of State Warren Christopher flew back from Latin America early to attend the White House meeting, which American officials said would concentrate on getting better intelligence to Israel about two militant Islamic groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

As Christopher arrived, the Israeli negotiators here for peace talks with Syria flew home. The talks were supposed to resume Monday, but Israeli officials said the latest round of bombings had destroyed "the sense of mutual confidence and trust" required for progress.

Israeli officials noted that Hamas and Islamic Jihad both have offices in Damascus, the Syrian capital, and said "such offices are not conducive to a constructive environment."

Making peace requires "an atmosphere of personal and collective security" that would now become Israel's first priority, the Israeli statement said, calling on Arafat and other Arab states, including Syria, to crack down on the terrorists so peace talks could continue.

Israel's ambassador to Washington, Itamar Rabinovich, urged the Arabs to help Israel uproot Hamas. But "it is very important not to overreact," he said. "The long-range future is a political settlement."

The Clinton administration has committed time and prestige to the negotiations between Israel and Syria, as the last element of a comprehensive regional peace. American officials also are concerned that the new security threat will destroy Peres' once shining chances in the Israeli election he called for May 29.

The Israeli opposition leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, has criticized Peres' willingness to return the Golan Heights to Syria, a key element in any future peace, and promises stricter security safeguards.

Clinton conveyed his condolences to Peres on the telephone and spoke emotionally to reporters after a speech in Taylor, Mich., about the bombings.

"Once again, the enemies of peace have murdered completely innocent Israeli citizens, including children, in their hysterical, determined, fanatic attempt to kill all hope for peace between Israel and the Palestinians and others in the Middle East," Clinton said.

"I want to express my deep anger at the news of this latest bombing in Israel and to reaffirm the determination of the United States to do all we can to work with our friends in the Middle East to stop the killing, to bring the killers to justice, and ensure that terrorism does not triumph over peace in the Middle East."

Asked whether he believed that Arafat had done all he could to control Hamas, Clinton said: "Because it is a relatively new government, it may be impossible to know for sure. But I am convinced that he wants peace. And I am convinced that he will now answer the call that I have issued, that the Israeli prime minister has issued, that others have issued, to do more."

But there were moves in Congress to cut off American financing of a multinational effort intended to help Arafat's fledgling self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Rep. Benjamin A. Gilman, the New York Republican who is chairman of the House Committee on International Relations, said he would continue to block some $10 million in funds for the Palestinian Authority.

"It is time for Chairman Arafat to stop dancing on both sides of the aisle," Gilman said. "Having cast his lot with the peace process, he must take decisive action against Hamas and other terrorists if the process is not to founder."