UN human rights chief joins condemnation of deadly West Bank attack

[oberliner]

2 September 2010 – The United Nations human rights chief today added her voice to the chorus of condemnation of the killing of four Israeli citizens in the West Bank this week and urged that the perpetrators be brought to justice.

The four civilians, who reportedly included a pregnant woman, were shot dead on Tuesday night as they travelled in a car near the city of Hebron in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Another two people were wounded in a separate attack yesterday, and Hamas has reportedly claimed responsibility.

Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, issued a statement deploring the attacks which, “as well as being abhorrent in themselves, also appear to be aimed at undermining the current round of peace talks.”

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=35808&Cr=palestin&Cr1=

And from Human Rights Watch:

West Bank/Israel: Hamas Must End Attacks on Civilians

(Jerusalem) - Hamas should be held accountable for two new attacks against Israeli civilians in the West Bank, and those who ordered and participated in the attacks should be prosecuted, Human Rights Watch said today.

The first attack, on August 31, 2010, killed four people and the second, on September 1, wounded two. Hamas's armed wing, Izz el-Din al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility and called the attacks part of "a series of operations."

"Hamas's deliberate attacks on civilians are egregious crimes," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "Legitimate Palestinian grievances about illegal Israeli settlements do not justify the attacks. Attacking civilians is never justified. It should stop."

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HRW/95f64308a3e514b7f1dccedad8dc451e.htm