Related: Palestinian suicide bomber kills 6 in Tel Aviv

    PARIS, April 17 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy strongly condemned the suicide bomb attack which killed at least nine people and injured dozens of others Monday inTel Aviv.

    "Nothing can justify this act of hatred, which I condemn forcefully, and which has also been condemned by the president of the Palestinian Authority," Douste-Blazy said in a statement.

    The minister offered France's condolences to the families of the victims and its sympathy to the Israeli authorities.

    The blast took place hours before the swearing in of the new Israeli parliament after the Kadima party of the acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert won last month's election.

    The blast -- the deadliest since a suicide bombing in August 2004 -- was claimed by the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad. Enditem