Hamas claims deadly West Bank shootout
GAZA CITY (AFP) — The armed wing of the Islamist Hamas movement claimed joint responsibility on Sunday for an attack in the occupied West Bank that left two Israeli settlers dead.
In a statement, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said it had carried out the attack jointly with the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad group in response to continuing Israeli operations in the West Bank and Hamas-ruled Gaza.
"This operation came in response to the assasinations and air strikes against the fighters and resisters in the Gaza Strip, and the assassinations and arrests in the West Bank," it said.
On Friday, Palestinian gunmen opened fire on three Israeli settlers hiking near the flashpoint West Bank city of Hebron. The two hikers killed -- armed off-duty Israeli soldiers -- fired back and killed one of the Palestinians.
It was the deadliest attack in the occupied West Bank since at least the start of the year.
Hamas seized control of Gaza in mid-June, routing forces loyal to Abbas's Fatah party after a week of deadly street clashes.
West Bank security forces, still controlled by Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, had arrested two men suspected of being involved in the attack, which officials had earlier suggested might have been criminal rather than political.
Referring to the attack, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned on Sunday that Israel would not make any changes on the ground as part of revived peace talks until Palestinians cracked down on security.
"As long as the Palestinian Authority does not take the necessary measures with the necessary force to act against terror organisations, Israel will not carry out on the ground any changes that could expose it to dangers," he said.
Friday's attack took place in an area of the West Bank where the Israeli army alone is responsible for security.
Abbas and Olmert formally relaunched peace talks at a US conference in late November after nearly a seven-year hiatus, pledging to aim for a final deal by the end of 2008.
