Editing Ahmed Yassin (section)

===Western world===
[[Jack Straw]], then British Foreign Secretary, said: "All of us understand Israel's need to protect itself – and it is fully entitled to do that – against the terrorism which affects it, within international law. But it is not entitled to go in for this kind of unlawful killing and we condemn it. It is unacceptable, it is unjustified and it is very unlikely to achieve its objectives."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3556753.stm |title=Blair condemns Hamas chief death |work=BBC News |date=22 March 2004 |access-date=26 June 2024 |archive-date=10 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710142502/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3556753.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> The European Union's foreign policy head [[Javier Solana]] expressed concern that it might impede the peace process.<ref name=AlJazeerah/>

In response to a question about the killing, U.S. President [[George W. Bush]] responded:{{blockquote|As far as the [[Middle East]], it's a troubled region, and the attacks were troubling. There needs to be a focused, concerted effort by all parties to fight terror. Any country has a right to defend itself from terror. Israel has the right to defend herself from terror. And as she does so, I hope she keeps consequences in mind as to how to make sure we stay on the path to peace.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2004/03/20040323-5.html |title=President Discusses Economy and Terrorism After Cabinet Meeting |website=Georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov |date=23 March 2004 |access-date=26 June 2024 |archive-date=23 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223082425/https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2004/03/20040323-5.html |url-status=live }}</ref>}}

[[United States Representative to the United Nations]] [[John Negroponte]] stated that the United States was "deeply troubled by this action by the Government of Israel", while asserting that the U.S. would not support any [[United Nations Security Council|U.N. Security Council]] statement condemning Israel's assassination of Yassin that did not include a condemnation of "Hamas terrorist attacks".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.usembassy.it/viewer/article.asp?article=/file2004_03/alia/a4032408.htm |website=U.S. Mission to Italy |title=U.N. Must Condemn Hamas Terrorism as Well as Israeli Assassination |date=23 March 2004 |access-date=11 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614141919/http://www.usembassy.it/viewer/article.asp?article=%2Ffile2004_03%2Falia%2Fa4032408.htm |archive-date=14 June 2011}}</ref> According to his statement to the UN Security Council,

{{cquote|The killing of Sheikh Yassin has escalated tensions in Gaza and the [[greater Middle East]], and sets back our effort to resume progress towards peace. However, events must be considered in their context and as we consider the killing of Sheikh Yassin, we must keep in mind the facts. Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was the leader of a terrorist organization, one which has proudly taken credit for indiscriminate attacks against civilians, including most recently an attack last week in the Port of [[Ashdod]], which left 10 Israelis dead. He preached hatred, and glorified suicide bombings of buses, restaurants, and cafes. Yassin was opposed to the existence of the State of Israel, and actively sought to undermine a [[two-state solution]] in the Middle East.}}