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PA premier Salam Fayyad on a visit to Nablus on Saturday. (Reuters)
Last update - 22:55 29/12/2007
PA premier Fayyad says suspects in killings of 2 Israelis caught by PA
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent, The Associated Press and Haaretz Service
Tags: Hebron, Israel 

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said Saturday that his security forces had arrested an unspecified number of suspects in Friday's killing of two Israeli hikers in the West Bank, and had passed to Israel weapons taken from the dead men by their Palestinian attackers.

"We have suspects in custody already," he said. "We are cooperating and coordinating with the Israeli security services, weapons have already been returned to Israeli security in connection with this particular incident."

Sharing a podium with President Shimon Peres at an economic conference in Herzliya, Fayyad also expressed condolences to the families of the two off-duty soldiers killed while hiking near Hebron in the West Bank.
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Fayyad did not give further details and the Israel Defense Forces had no immediate confirmation of his comments.

Fayyad said Saturday the arrests were proof of his government's determination to rein in Palestinian militant groups and impose law and order in the areas under its control and investigation of Friday's gunfight in which the Israelis killed a Palestinian gunman before they were fatally wounded would be thorough.

"It will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law, he said. So it's not only strong words of condemnation," it's action.

Earlier, in Nablus, Fayyad acknowledged that the shooting attack near Hebron took place on territory for which the Palestinian Authority is responsible. He said that the PA would fulfill all of its security commitments, according to Ma'an, an independent Palestinian news agency.

On Friday, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki on Friday vowed a "harsh" response to the attack, in which one of the militants responsible for the shooting was killed in ensuing gunfire.

"As we condemn all Israeli assassination operations... in Gaza and West Bank, we cannot accept such operations carried out by armed groups," said al-Malki.

He said the aim of the group who carried out the attack was to disrupt peace talks and Palestinian security plans, and promised "to take harsh measures" against them.

The victims of the drive-by shooting attack, named as David Rubin and Ahikam Amihai, both in their 20s, were hiking in the area of the West Bank settlements of Talam and Adura with a female resident of Kiryat Arba when a group of four Palestinian terrorists opened fire on them from a Jeep.

The IDF Central Command said that the three Israelis entered Area B of the West Bank, which is under Palestinian civilian control, despite warnings not to do so.

Rubin and Amihai, who were soldiers on leave from the Israel Defense Forces, managed to return fire and reportedly killed one of the terrorists.

They later died from their wounds, while the woman who accompanied them managed to hide and was not harmed.

IDF troops arrested early Saturday six Palestinians from Hebron in connection with the attack.

On Friday, Palestinian sources stated that IDF troops raided a hospital in Hebron searching for a gunman believed to have been wounded in the attack. The IDF has not confirmed the report.

Meanwhile, Israel sent a letter of protest over the attack to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and to the president of the Security Council, Israel Radio reported Saturday.

Both Islamic Jihad and an armed wing of Fatah claimed responsibility for the shooting. The top Palestinian security official said on Saturday the Palestinian Authority was dismantling militant groups, including Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade.

Israel has recently killed several of Islamic Jihad's militants in the Gaza Strip, including some senior commanders.

Israeli envoy to the United Nations Dan Gillerman emphasized that the Palestinian Authority has still not proven its desire to fight terror, and that Islamic Jihad receives finance and cover from UN member states.

Both Rubin and Amihai were in elite units of the IDF, with Rubin serving as a sergeant in the Israeli Naval commandos and Amihai as a corporal in the Israel Air Force's equivalent unit.

The terrorists then escaped and the woman called the emergency center in Kiryat Arba. However, the rescue team had trouble locating her because she did not know their whereabouts.

Israel Defense Forces and paramedics were called in to help with the search, and managed to reach the bodies of the two men. The woman, who suffered from shock, was taken to a Kiryat Arba clinic nearby.

The group had threatened to retaliate for the Gaza attacks, saying the Israeli actions would "not go unpunished".

An Israel police spokesman called Friday's shooting a "terrorist attack" and said police and the army had searched the area for the attackers.

The shooting attack came hours after IDF troops killed a bodyguard of the Palestinian Authority's chief negotiatator, Ahmed Qureia,in Ramallah.

Also Friday, Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket at the western Negev. No injuries or damages were reported.

Amihai and Reuben were laid to rest on Saturday evening. Their funeral procession passed from Kiryat Arba to the military cemetery of Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

Rubin is the son of Rabbi Mishael Rubin of Hebron and his brother is the acting rabbi of "Shavei Hebron" yeshiva in Beit Romano.

Amihai, who served in the elite Shayetet 13 Naval commandos unit, is the son of Rabbi Yehuda Amihai, head of the Land and Torah center that was formerly based in Kfar Darom in Gush Katif and was moved to Ashkelon after the disengagement in 2005.

Ahikam's mother Esther is the daughter of Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Nariya, known to many as "the father of the kippot srugot," referring to the knit skullcaps popular with the settler movement.

The Kiryat Arba council severely criticized the government following the attack. Zvi Katzover, head of the local council, said in response that "whoever lets off terrorists and supplies them with guns does not have to push the trigger in order to become an accomplice."

MK Uri Ariel (National Union-National Religious Party) added that the murder is "further proof of intensified terrorist attacks by Arabs, who take advantage of Israel's weakness and lenience." He stressed that the prime minister's recent declarations regarding the release of Palestinian prisoners and the freezing of building permits in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, were a "tail wind for terrorism."

The Almagor Terror Victims Association requested this week that the cabinet cancel its planned discussion on the easing of criteria for the release of prisoners. Instead, the association said in response to the murder that the cabinet should schedule a security discussion on replacing removed roadblocks and restrictions for Palestinian vehicles on central routes.

The chairman of the association, Meir Indor, said that the proposed discussion would "send out a clear message to the terrorist organizations that renewing terrorist attacks comes with a heavy price: in refusing to release prisoners and in hardening Israel's line regarding the Palestinians."

Last month, an Israeli resident of the Shavei Shomron community in the West Bank was shot and killed while driving to a nearby settlement by three Palestinians, members of the PA's security force.

The Fatah-affiliated Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade took responsibility for that attack. A statement from the group said the shooting came in protest of the upcoming Annapolis peace summit and the "crimes of Israel against the Palestinians."

In a separate incident on Friday, a number of casualties were reported in clashes between Palestinian clans in the same area.

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      1.   What will Israel`s `Partner for Peace` do about this? 14:03  |  Nechama 28/12/07
      2.   Pals shooting Israelis OK,Israeli construction bad for peace 14:06  |  Sam 28/12/07
      3.   Ban Arabs From OUR Roads 14:08  |  Yishai Kohen 28/12/07
      4.   He who lives by the sword dies by it 14:14  |  good ridence 28/12/07
      5.   Terrorists ? God Forbid 14:16  |  Alex 28/12/07
      6.   Once again, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG...... 14:20  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/12/07
      7.   It`s nice to have the shoe on the other foot for a change 14:23  |  POP 28/12/07
      8.   Since when are Settlers considered Civilians? 14:29  |  Hani 28/12/07
      9.   Since when are Settlers considered Civilians? 14:29  |  Hani 28/12/07
      10.   The attack came hours after IDF troops killed a bodyguard of ... 14:32  |  Zev 28/12/07
      11.   Condolences and refuah shalayma 14:33  |  Nik "Banned" Miller 28/12/07
      12.   It`s nice to have the shoe on the other foot for a change 14:44  |  POP 28/12/07
      13.   No, Haaretz, two Israeli civiilans were murdered! Why not call 14:49  |  Avshalom 28/12/07
      14.   2 Israelis killed by terrorists- what does Dutch think about it? 15:10  |  Dr. Dizzle 28/12/07
      15.   Meretz calls for the immediate release of the "freedom fighters" 15:10  |  Binyamin Dissen 28/12/07
      16.   Bowing to Ms.Rice pressure is lethal for Israelis 15:11  |  Absolute Sweden 28/12/07
      17.   Dead Jews for the Clowns 15:12  |  Honest Observation 28/12/07
      18.   Hebron always was a dangerous place 15:16  |  Natallie Durson 28/12/07
      19.   eye for eye 15:19  |  jojo 28/12/07
      20.   many accomplices 15:19  |  Suzanne 28/12/07
      21.   traitor olmert,why don`t you send them more weapons? 15:33  |  chaim 28/12/07
      22.   Should give liberals something to smile about 15:38  |  KATRINA!!!!! 28/12/07
      23.   Regards 15:48  |  H.E 28/12/07
      24.   My condolences 15:49  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      25.   Best wishes to the wounded victim 15:50  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      26.   I am waiting for the pal terrorists supporters 15:52  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      27.   the qassam-launching 15:54  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      28.   Find the killers, charge them with murder and try them 15:57  |  Conroy 28/12/07
      29.   answer 16:00  |  sam 28/12/07
      30.   PA?s insecurity force 16:01  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      31.   PA?s insecurity force (more) 16:04  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      32.   Peace loving Palestinians 16:30  |  Joe Sittizen 28/12/07
      33.   Let this be exceedingly costly for the palestinians 16:36  |  Johnny 28/12/07
      34.   Re Joe #1 16:50  |  Esther 28/12/07
      35.   1. Joey? muslim blood is not cheap 16:51  |  muslim 28/12/07
      36.   My condolences (2nd try) 17:01  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      37.   Best wishes to the wounded victim (2nd try) 17:02  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      38.   I am waiting for the pal terrorists supporters (2nd try) 17:02  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      39.   the qassam-launching (2nd try) 17:04  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      40.   PA?s insecurity force (2nd try) 17:05  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      41.   peace 17:05  |  marcus 28/12/07
      42.   PA?s insecurity force (more) (2nd try) 17:06  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      43.   Islamic terrorists 17:08  |  Sam 28/12/07
      44.   It`s nice to have the shoe on the other foot for a change 17:08  |  POP 28/12/07
      45.   good news after long time 17:10  |  livine 28/12/07
      46.   #1 2 state selutions means setllers out!!!! 17:18  |  sami 28/12/07
      47.   yawn... maybe the settlers should go back to israel? 17:18  |  pop 28/12/07
      48.   Armed settlers, legitimate targets. 17:23  |  Salahudin the Great 28/12/07
      49.   #1 Joe, I agree with your lament, but.... 17:23  |  Don Camillo 28/12/07
      50.   Settelers and soldiers 17:32  |  Palestinian 28/12/07
      51.   When hikers are executed 17:42  |  Chick 28/12/07
      52.   sad 17:43  |  dd 28/12/07
      53.   So the Judea Bde Cdr is opening an investigation.. 17:49  |  Don Camillo 28/12/07
      54.   blame the roadblocks 17:55  |  Leon Rosgarten 28/12/07
      55.   A terrible waste of human lices 18:03  |  Yonatan 28/12/07
      56.   no to a palestinian state that is militarized 18:04  |  real vision 28/12/07
      57.   IS THIS THE PEACE THAT AWAITS ISRAEL 18:13  |  HAL TRIPP 28/12/07
      58.   As much as I grieve 18:14  |  rich 28/12/07
      59.   Murder Pure and Simple 18:17  |  Ron 28/12/07
      60.   Tears in my eyes 18:22  |  Avi 28/12/07
      61.   Haaretz: you do give little information 18:22  |  Kris 28/12/07
      62.   Hey Joe...What doyou expect.. 18:22  |  Ali 28/12/07
      63.   My condolences (3rd try) 18:23  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      64.   Best wishes to the wounded victim (3rd try) 18:23  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      65.   PA?s insecurity force (3rd try) 18:25  |  KUTW 28/12/07
      66.   Cowards, never publish my talkbacks 18:26  |  Hani 28/12/07
      67.   my heart with their families... blessed be their memory. 18:28