Wednesday's roadside attack occurred on the eve of face-to-face “peace negotiations” between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington.
"The attack was a message to those who pledged to the Zionist enemy that there would be no more attacks," said Hamas armed wing spokesman Abu Ubaida, referring to Abbas's U.S.-backed Palestinian Authority administration.
Hamas resistance fighters killed four settlers in a similar attack on Tuesday and had vowed more resistance to derail the talks.
In an interview with Haaretz, the head of the Yesha Council of Settlements Danny Dayan said that when the attack occurred, “we called on the prime minister to return home. In my eyes, it is unfitting for Netanyahu to attend ceremonies and festive dinners as the four victims of the terrorist attack are being buried,” Dayan said. “Unfortunately, the prime minister did not follow our suggestion, just as he did not follow other suggestions given to him recently and the ceremonies continue.”
Dayan, who went to Washington at the same time as Netanyahu to monitor developments at the talks, intends to make sure that amid the Israeli gestures there is no further blow to building in the settlements.
“The Palestinian Authority leadership is fully party to the murder and is not a partner for peace. They continue the incitement, continue to praise vile terrorists. Even the condemnation issued by the Palestinian Authority after the terrorist attack was completely propagandist and did not contain a single word of grief. Therefore, I think that it is utterly incorrect for the prime minister of Israel to partake in festive meals with this group”, he indicated.
“We have been very worried about what Netanyahu is not saying for a very long time now: For over a year Netanyahu has not said that Jerusalem will not be divided. For over a year, he has not said that Israel will not return to the 1967 lines, for over a year he has not said that there will not be uprooting of settlements that were established legally by the government of Israel. These are very worrisome things. The same cabinet ministers who demanded that Olmert not conduct negotiations over Jerusalem must now demand the same today of Netanyahu also,” the head of the Yesha Council of Settlements said.
GAZA, (PIC)-- Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, claimed full responsibility for the second shooting attack which rendered two Israeli settlers wounded in Ramallah city on Wednesday evening, saying it was part of the "torrent of fire" operations it promised to carry out in retaliation to the settlers' ongoing crimes against the Palestinians.
In a communiqué, Al-Qassam Brigades said that this operation sends a message to the Israeli occupation state and its settlers that their crimes and attacks can never go unpunished.
The Brigades stressed that the occupation and its lackeys could not prevent its fighters from reaching their goals and strike the Zionist people's strongholds.
"The Ramallah operation is a message to those who promised the Zionists that Al-Khalil operation would not be repeated," it added.
The Israeli government and its allies in the Palestinian Authority (PA) did nothing to stop Israeli settlers from going on the rampage in West Bank villages and occupied Jerusalem; this situation encouraged the settlers under military protection to displace Palestinians from their homes, physically assault them, launch arson attacks on mosques and agricultural lands, damage property and seize lands. A number of Palestinians were also killed by settlers during this year.
Israeli newspapers reported that the Ramallah operation led to the injury of two settlers, one of them in serious condition, after their car came under fire yesterday evening near Romonim junction. The operation took place only one day after Al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for Al-Khalil operation.
Israeli ambulances and troops rushed to the scene following the attack. Later the Palestinian security militia men and Israeli troops carried out indiscriminate arrests among the Palestinian citizens in all West Bank areas.
For his part, de facto president Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the Ramallah operation during the launch of direct talks in Washington between his authority and Israeli leaders in the presence of the Jordanian king and the Egyptian president.
"Mister Netanyahu, what happened yesterday (Tuesday) we strongly denounced it and what happened today (Wednesday) we condemn it as well," Abbas told the Israeli premier at the White House.
"We do not want at all to see one drop of blood being shed from Israeli or Palestinians, we want peace and normal coexistence between them. We want to live as neighbors and partners forever," he added.
Earlier, US president Barack Obama condemned Al-Khalil operation and pledged to protect and support fully Israel's security following his meeting with the Israeli premier.
Hamas lawmaker and official Dr. Salah Al-Bardawil stated on Wednesday that Al-Khalil operation that led to the death of four settlers was part of the approach pursued by the Palestinian resistance to defend their people against continued Israeli aggression.
Dr. Bardawil also strongly denounced Abbas for criticizing the resistance operations, describing his condemnation as political stupidity never seen before in the history of all liberation movements around the world, and a betrayal of the Palestinian people and their national cause
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