• Published 08:03 02.09.10
  • Latest update 08:03 02.09.10

Hamas claims responsibility for second West Bank shooting attack in two days

'The attack was a message to those who pledged there would be no more attacks,' says Islamist group as violence flares again in the eve of peace talks in Washington.

By Anshel Pfeffer, Reuters and Haaretz Service

Hamas on Thursday claimed responsibility for a shooting attack in which two Israelis were wounded, one of them seriously, in the West Bank.

Wednesday's roadside attack, near the Jewish settlement of Kochav Hashachar, occurred on the eve of face-to-face peace negotiations between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington.

Israel police and IDF troops at the scene of the West Bank shooting on Sept. 1, 2010. Emil Salman

Israel police and IDF troops at the scene of the West Bank shooting on Sept. 1, 2010.

Photo by: Emil Salman

"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. 

Gunmen from the Islamist group Hamas, which rules the Palestinian Gaza Strip but has been curbed by Abbas's forces in the West Bank, killed four settlers in a similar attack on Tuesday and had vowed more violence to derail the talks.

Moshe Moreno, who was behind the wheel of the car targeted in Wednesday's drive-by shooting, said on Thursday morning it was a "miracle" that he and his wife, who was traveling with him, survived.

Moreno told Army Radio that they were returning home along Route 60 when another car approached very close behind them.

"I signaled to the driver that he was bothering me and that he should overtake but he took a long time to respond," Moreno said. "Then, as we came round a bend, he came past me and the shooting started."

The assailants fired continuously, hitting the car door at least 10 times, before an apparent weapons malfunction allowed the passengers to escape from their overturned vehicle, Moreno said.

"One of the guns seemed to jam and that gave us the chance to roll away and take cover. I knew that if they reached us, they would spray us with bullets at point blank range," he said.

The couple were able to telephone police, who conducted a sweep of the area and found the car riddled with bullet holes.

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  • 35. 12 10
    If you want to stop Hamas attacks, include Hamas in peace talks
    • Rizwan
    • 02.09.10
    • 15:31

    All the talk that Hamas doesn't want peace is a lie, Hamas is only saying that PA is a illegitimate organization to discuss peace with the occupiers. They are only worried that Israel's lapdog Abbas will just agree to whatever Israel says. Let's be blunt here, does Netanyahu really want peace?

  • 34. 21 11
    Easy solution: let's send all settlers to live with Hamas in Gaza
    • Shosh
    • 02.09.10
    • 13:55

    Since settlers enjoy living in Palestinian territory, let them move to Gaza and discuss problems with Hamas. meanwhile, all peace-loving, law-abiding Israelis and Palestinians can enjoy peace.

  • 33. 6 8
    Hamastans demise soon to come:
    • Noel
    • 02.09.10
    • 13:49

    Cut the scorpions head off ! and caos will reign in Hamastan, the beginning of the end for all nutters ?

  • 32. 8 9
    TIME FOR CAST LEAD 2
    • Nemesis
    • 02.09.10
    • 12:31

  • 31. 4 2
  • 30. 13 5
    (3rd try) NEITHER AMERICA NOR ISRAEL CAN STOP HAMAS. ONLY THE PALESTINIANS CAN.
    • S
    • 02.09.10
    • 11:09

    The vicious circle of terror/settlements, terror/settlements, remains unbroken....Nobody seems to attempt to stop this circle... yet, there is ONLY ONE SIDE THAT CAN STOP IT - HAMAS !! The settlers will stop when terror stops... they can be forced to stop. But Hamas cannot be forced to stop. So, they will continue with terror until the whole West Bank will be full with Israelis. Demography is not in their advantage - the religious make at least as many babies as the Arabs....SO, HAMAS WILL NOT WIN ! If the Palestinians cannot rein in the terrorists, they will lose their country altogether. AGAIN, REMEMBER ! NEITHER AMERICA NOR ISRAEL CAN STOP HAMAS. ONLY THE PALESTINIANS CAN.

    • 5 0
      Essentially Correct - Disallowed
      • Mark of Lewiston
      • 02.09.10
      • 11:43

      You are essentially correct S, but to do the job, the PA forces have to be able to operate outsides of the few enclaves the nominally have. And the areas that are no go for the PA are treated as safe havens by Hamas and criminals. The PA has no right of hot pursuit. and the IDF only gets around to it when they are bored. The current swiss cheese approach to security is not working.

    • 9 7
      You're wrong
      • Gianni
      • 02.09.10
      • 12:48

      Israel CAN AND WILL stop Hamas. They will be crushed into oblivion, as long as Israel has the will. There will be casualties among Palestinian civilians, being the strategy of these monsters to involve civilians in battle. In the end, despite worldwide condemnation, they will be put out of their misery. ALL FOR THE BETTER. Then the Pals can rejoice and make peace.

    • 1 6
      S ..Good post but you omitted Abbas who is most probably in Cahoots with haniye.
      • Ross
      • 02.09.10
      • 14:13

      In cahoots with Haniye. Hamas was delighted for the Hebron attack it was only after Abbas began his journey? Tell you what the first Hebron was done by Fatah Abbas and the secon maybe by Hamas. Your last sentence> AGAIN RMEMBER ! NEITHER AMERICA NOR ISRAEL CAN STOP HAMAS. ONLY THE PALESTINIANS CAN.? Bull to that wo puls the strigs of Abbas S? none other than Haniyeh ..I THINK NEMESIS IS RIGHT AND I TOO HAVE SAID IT..CAST LEAD TWO IS ON THE WAY EXPECT IT..S ..Hamas will have to be crushed and this time the damage will be so extensive the Gazans will flee IN DROVES OUT OF THERE. Israel must retake Gaza (I call Sharons folly),and than we'll see what will happen.

  • 29. 10 3
    World's recorded announcement after millions murdered
    • Shmiel
    • 02.09.10
    • 11:07

    Even if millions of Jews were killed here the outsider's cry along with the leftist Jews would be: "we are not going to let the terrorists stop the peace talks".

  • 28. 6 14
    This is what the rabbis call for.
    • Dukke
    • 02.09.10
    • 11:05

    this is what you are being fooled into thinking that isrl is right in all their actions. and yet you all believe the rest of the world is to blame for their acts of vengeance against you. you should wake up because this is what isrl is and you are all guilty of this. not the arabs or the christians. i will make sure that this gets passed around to as many people i can, for it is very important that they learn what judaism stands for. it stnds for the death of all non jews. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t_LxpCY2G8&feature=player_embedded#!

    • 4 2
      We are supposed to kill people thats not our purpose unless they try to kill us
      • JAck
      • 02.09.10
      • 11:52

      The purpose of Jews is to be Jews and be a light for the nations not to kill them. Not everything on Utube is Judaism nor is everything on utube a proper representation of other religions. I personally never killed or injured anyone or trained to do that

    • 8 4
      Sick Puppy
      • Mick
      • 02.09.10
      • 12:53

      Israel took precaution during Cast Lead to WARN civilians of attacks, dropping leaflets. Did Hamas warn those four victims before their bruta murders?? You really are sick, and know absolutely zero about Judaism. Please don't spread lies.

    • 8 3
      the settlers
      • tom
      • 02.09.10
      • 14:25

      had every chance to leave and return to Israel, unlike the Gazans who had nowhere to run as white phosphorous rained down on their families.

  • 27. 2 2
  • 26. 13 1
    Deviant behavior... is an acceptable norm
    • allang
    • 02.09.10
    • 10:54

    Yesterday, Ha’aretz had a photo of Palestinian children in Gaza celebrating the death of Israelis. It looked like the kids were something like 8 or 10 years of age. They displayed victory signs and their expression of triumph or glory was so genuine and so startling... that I simply had to mention it here. Now... I’m not paranoid or a psychoanalyst. But this to me at least, shows how Hamas has managed to indoctrinate innocent children to the point where deviant behavior... is an absolutely acceptable norm. So that begs the question... how can we expect these children to react when a Peace agreement is signed. I simply... don’t have an answer.

    • 11 6
      allang
      • Cipora Julianna Kohn
      • 02.09.10
      • 11:13

      hamas, hezbollah, iran, et al, are modeled on hitler youth. they take the children at a very young age and brain wash them. children and the young are very susceptible to tales of heroism and superiority. it makes them feel as members of a group and hence safe.

    • 8 6
      Deviant settler youth
      • Shosh
      • 02.09.10
      • 11:56

      Ideological settlers train their children from birth to believe it's normal to live in a colonial way in illegal settlements located in occupied territory. This results in lack of peace for all of Israel, settler violence and unproductive lives led at Israeli taxpayers' expense.

    • 5 2
      Here is the answer for Allang And Cipora
      • James T...-USA
      • 02.09.10
      • 14:22

      • About Fascism and Islamism:It dirives from the Italian word fascia, which means a bundle of woods. This was an old Roman emblem. The idea is that a single stick of wood can be broken easily, but when you bundle many sticks together and fasten them with each other, they become strong and unbreakable. Fascism creates the concept of 'we' versus them. It is divisive and the unity of we is sustained by keeping alive the hate of them. In fascism and all fascistic ideologies the unity is achieved by the fear and hatred of others. The political ideology of fascism is based on a system of government characterized by rigid one-party dictatorship and forcible suppression of the opposition of minority groups. Like Nazism and Islam are both inspired by fascistic ideas. In Islam, just as in Nazism the minorities are underdogs, their rights are denied and violated and the might is revered as right. The best description of fascism is given by the Prophet in this verse "Muhammad is the messenger of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers, (BUT) compassionate amongst each other."(Q48:29) Islam is a religion that thrives on hate. Muslims need enemies to remain united. That is why they need 'Zionism' and the 'American Imperialism'. All Muslims are fighting with each other but in one thing they are united and that is in their hatred of Israel and America. If you take away these enemies from them, they will tear each other apart. Hitler was not only an evil man but also his method was wrong. His brand of unity founded on race superiority and hate did not last and could not have lasted. The average public in Germany was not aware of the holocaust. He killed the Jews and oppressed the freedom, but he was unable to kill the idea of freedom and the dignity of human being. Today the Germans are united by understanding and cooperation, not through hate of someone else. And yes the abhorrent idea of racism is dead. We killed it. The cohesive force between the Muslims is not dissimilar to what bonded the Nazis. Islam is also a doctrine of hate and just as Nazism is doomed to disappear. But times change and today?s world is different from the world of 70, or even 10 years ago. The Internet is bridging the gap between the nations and dissipating the misunderstandings. Today the fascistic ideologies can no more survive. People are talking with each other, exchanging ideas and discovering their oneness. 1400 years ago a narcissistic megalomaniac demagogue could have fooled ignorant people around him. Seventy years ago, a mad charismatic charlatan in Germany could incite nationalism and instill pride in the defeated Germans of the WWI by inflaming their racial superiority. Today only a fool will think of himself superior because of his race, nationality or religion. Today unities are achieved in diversity. Today we celebrate our differences and are proud of our multi-culturalism. Today people are wise.

  • 25. 9 2
    Goldstone
    • Ron
    • 02.09.10
    • 10:49

    Looking for Goldstone. Even the head of the UN condemned the murders-just waiting for Mr. Goldstone. Mr. Levy?????

  • 24. 12 0
    Makes Me wonder!!
    • Arab-Jordanian
    • 02.09.10
    • 10:32

    Every time anyone tries to make peace possible, this group starts messing around again, i wonder who they are working for, i mean really, they don't want peace, OBVIOUSLY, and they don't want any type of negotiations, what is it that they want?? There are three words to explain this whole situation: MONEY MONEY MONEY... I give up, i really do, God/Gods/Aliens/Superman whoever is up there, please carry Jordan from the region and take us anywhere else...

  • 23. 17 9
    Settlers must leave the West Bank and go back home to Israel! They must stop endangering the lives of our young soldiers
    • Shosh
    • 02.09.10
    • 10:17

    Settlers must be removed from the West Bank, forcibly if necessary, and brought back to the safety of Israel. It is unacceptable that the lives of young soldiers be put in jeopardfy by people w

  • 22. 10 15
    Welllll There's Always My Way...
    • Yosemite
    • 02.09.10
    • 10:08

    One could declare the American Evangelical Christian community as a surviving remnant of the Jewish People or akin, thereby making them eligible for return and settlement anywhere in Israel and in the territories where the Palestinians and Israel live right now. I wouldn't care. Those people don't bother me. The worse thing those people have ever done to/for me was to pray for me and hold my hands. That actually made and makes me feel good. I like people that hold my hands and pray for me. It doesn't turn me into a Christian and it makes me feel like someone cares about me. I don't like it when people like Hamas, Iran, or Syria are trying to kill me. Evangelical Christians. I can live with those people. Shi'ite terrorists not. Terrorists like those that are sniping at Israelis, would be in a lot of trouble if 70 Million Evangelical Christians arrived over there with suitcases.

    • 7 6
      You like unreasonable fanatics ?
      • Andrew
      • 02.09.10
      • 10:25

      Evangelicals and religious Jews are both believe tribal religion. I would prefer Mannitou, it is more universal

    • 6 7
      Enlightening
      • Bandar Michaels
      • 02.09.10
      • 10:33

      As a Palestfinian Christian, I say thank you , but no. Christians contituted 18% of the Palestinian Population at the end of the Ottoman Rule. By the time of creation of Israel , most Palestinian Christians became refugees when they were forced out of their towns and village. After the West Bank occupation, their numbers dwindeled even more , they now constitute less than 2% of the total population of the Holyland. Who gives you the Idea that inported Christians wont be discriminated against in a "Jewish" state.

    • 2 3
      and yet again
      • Salvador
      • 02.09.10
      • 11:10

      offering to settle foreign people in someone else's land! When will you learn Israelis! PS. Evangelicals do not love you Jews...They just use you to be in better terms with God

    • 2 6
      Evangelical Christians are terrorists and racists, this is why you want them to come.
      • Dukke
      • 02.09.10
      • 11:16

      now i know why you like them you are all the same. look at your statement. you want them to come and take over more arab land, which tells me you are not a partner for peace you want allthe arab land for yourselves no matter that the philistines were there before you ever existed. you are truly your Gods people the sad thing is your God is satan and not the all mighty. I will pray for you to get a brain or even a heart. because without those you do not have a roll in humanity. God bless the freedom fighters of palestine.

    • 1 5
      Amen
      • Dukke
      • 02.09.10
      • 11:17

    • 4 0
      no dangerous evangelicals
      • josh
      • 02.09.10
      • 11:26

      good thing you're not a woman who needs an abortion. btw, sunni terrorists don't bother you? just shi'ites?

  • 21. 7 11
    The settlements must be razed in a One State solution too.
    • Ft
    • 02.09.10
    • 10:06

    The 67 line is a matter of property rights in a fair society anyway.

  • 20. 14 23
    Yes, yes, no, no!
    • Ft
    • 02.09.10
    • 10:02

    The occupied territories are not Israel. And settlers are not civilians. They are a second army.

  • 19. 4 10
    The peace of the dead and wounded
    • Daniel Leopold
    • 02.09.10
    • 10:01

    It is quite clear for anyone to see,hear and understand that any peace deal will only cause further bloodshed in the region. Hamas and its minions will do anything in their power to undermine any peace treaty mainly by terrorizing Israelis so why sign a useless piece of paper and how many more dead and wounded Israelis will this cause?

  • 18. 11 9
    Hamas
    • Martin O'Dabhais
    • 02.09.10
    • 09:42

    Make sure all bullets/missiles/metals used for same are dipped in pigs blood and advertise this. Hamas will cease to handle all armaments.

  • 17. 22 6
  • 16. 42 2
    Hamas claims responsibility
    • Aysa
    • 02.09.10
    • 09:38

    Welcome , welcome to the Wild West settlers land where outlaws, gangs and gunfighters including the Hamas cowboy gunslingers all doing what they beleive they have to....."Their thing " So here we go again only this time Hamas"s "Billy The Kid", Jesse James, the Clantons and even the Dalton gang are mild and meek compared to the Hamas gang . What a mess.

  • 15. 14 10
    Amazing Silence from the Israeli ELITE not a whisper
    • Zvuv
    • 02.09.10
    • 09:35

    They must been passing candy in the streets of Tel Aviv. The actors who refused to preform in Ariel have a good reason not to do so now "whooo it's too dangerous to go there" deafening

    • 4 4
      nonsense
      • josh
      • 02.09.10
      • 11:16

      the fact that hamas is trying to assert itself and/or derail the peace talks in itself has nothing to do with the illegitimacy of the Israeli occupation or resistance to it. you right wingers seem unable to keep various concepts separated, seeing instead an amorphous "evil" which you "good" people fight. and of course that's an easily digestable position for those who won't. or can't, think. And lastly, if Israelis don't want to get killed they should live in Israel rather than colonizing other peoples' lands

    • 8 2
      Amazing persistence of settlers not to move back to the safety of Israel
      • Shosh
      • 02.09.10
      • 12:00

      If only settlers were oinly jeopardizing their own lives... but they're also putting at risk the lives of our soldiers by forcing them to protect their illegal settlements and their idle way of life at taxpayers' expense.

  • 14. 14 5
    west bank shootings
    • terry
    • 02.09.10
    • 09:34

    stop reporting on the actions of militant groups your only playing into their hands these people don't want peace in the middle east they just want to see the destruction of Israel and/or the Israeli people because thats all they know , that's all they have taught since childhood their parents have brainwashed them into believing nothing else....... " what a sad world we live in " !

  • 13. 19 3
  • 12. 15 3
    It was as predictable
    • Uri
    • 02.09.10
    • 09:26

    as settlers' demand to stop peace talks after those shootings. Those two understand each other.

  • 11. 15 13
    Hamas leadership needs to be taken care of
    • Cipora Julianna Kohn
    • 02.09.10
    • 09:24

    hamas is not any different from al qaeda. the west, led by the united states, kill al qaeda terrorists every day. hamas, led by a rejectionist terrorists who oppose any peace, pose a strategic threat to the region. its is time to take care of hamas leadership.

    • 14 5
      And Regret Collateral Damage
      • Mark of Lewiston
      • 02.09.10
      • 11:17

      Yes, a nice invasion of Gaza or bombing of a neighborhood or school. Then you can piously regret the civilian shields who die. That fits the IDF pattern all too well. Maybe you can take down a high-rise or a hospital with hundreds asleep, too. After all, even the babies are at least potential terrorists in the making. And what better way to get the PA to walk away from talks. 10, 15, 20 bombs and 15-20 missiles should do it, right? The fact that your settlers tried today to burn a Palestinian family to death in their village is irrelevant, right? Just perfectly peachy.

    • 2 12
      You should think of consequences the moment you decided to side with Hamas murderers Mark.
      • too late
      • 02.09.10
      • 15:28

      As Hamas supporter you are supposed to be accustomed to the suffering and murders of innocent people so stop pretending to worry about people who will die in Israeli retaliation. The fact that settlers tried to burn a Palestinian family in reprisal for Hamas murders leaves me as indifferent as you are over the killing of four settlers last Tuesday.Do you care that a pregnant woman was killed?Of course not so why should I care for a burned shack.At least they are alive.The pregnant woman was not that lucky.

  • 10. 7 3
    Stop the madness
    • 02.09.10
    • 09:22

    Israel and the PA need to accelerate their efforts and beef up security to prevent further desperate acts. Again don't let violence direct the course of history. This dispute will not be resolved by the gun.

  • 9. 5 3
  • 8. 9 12
    Peace talks.
    • David Nigel Braham
    • 02.09.10
    • 09:11

    When the Israeli authoriies wake up to the fact that the Palestinians do not want peace,proof is the murder of 4 and the attempted murder of another 2,just shows that Arafat's methods are still alive,up the violence when their is a small possability of peace.

  • 7. 9 13
    Hamas Leadership in Gaza
    • Ron
    • 02.09.10
    • 09:10

    Time to let the IAF go to work in hamas's capital: Gaza, and inflict some damage. If there is no response the peace talks will crumble and will only invite more terror.

    • 12 6
      Bomb
      • Rob
      • 02.09.10
      • 11:22

      You mean bombing houses, hospitals and schools just like before? Better to bomb the illegal settlements, the problem will be solved sooner. Ofcourse the settlers will be sented back first to their home country.

  • 6. 10 9
    What's in a name
    • Miriam
    • 02.09.10
    • 09:01

    If a settler, convert, American or a Jewish kibbutznik killed an Arab would it matter what name he is given, the world would condemn Israeli (Jewish) aggression. Hamas equals the PA, a Palestinian equals an Arab, they are all guilty of this crime. They all applaud Jewish blood, and political terminology should not prevent Jews from insisting on the 'Jordanian option'.

  • 5. 8 5
    So Gaza will remain Iran's protectorate inside Israel's belly.
    • Fortuna Benmayor
    • 02.09.10
    • 08:52

    Undigestable, unsolvable, relentlessly murderous and self-murderous, butchering Jews and Israelis anywhere. Who represents that failed stated? Who takes responsibility besides Hamas' which is nothing but an arm of the Iranian hydra? Obama? The U.N.? The Arab League? The EU? What can be achieved if Gaza remains that? How much is peace worth if Gaza isn't part of peace, because it's terrorist masters don't want ir? Let's make peace between Israel and the West Bank, and give Hamas less reasons -say the leftists-. But they didn't need reasons to shoot missiles, just like Hezbollah doesn't need reasons to shoot them too. Without confronting Iran, peace will be withdrawal, and feeble. It won't fulfill the dream of Israel in peace and security, nor the Palestinian dream of redemption and dignity, by surrendering the maximalist, violent narrative. It will be a Golem in between. Get Iran out of the picture, and as tough as Hamas and settlers are, peace is majority.

  • 4. 16 5
    despicable , cowardly , vile acts committed by Hamas
    • Mark
    • 02.09.10
    • 08:45

    Time for the P.A to seriously clamp down on Hamas , and I mean seriously , Abbas needs to hold a major press conference denouncing these cowardly acts on addressed to all Palestinians , n I hope Israel stays away from any type of retaliation , Doing so only suckers them into Hamas "s big plan to derail the peace talks ... Continue with the talks and deal with Hamas after the peace talks have ended and along with a viable peace plan in place ... their will be time later for revenge .... stay focused Israel ,

  • 3. 13 9
    • 8 2
      who cares?!
      • Cipora Julianna Kohn
      • 02.09.10
      • 10:17

      why are all of you obsessed with durson.

    • 4 4
      Durson
      • Mark
      • 02.09.10
      • 11:43

      Here in Canada on CBC threads we have a couple of similar hated poster , who attempt to spin and always shift blame on Israel whenever acts of violence like this are committed by the Islamist groups , you might of heard of them here ... richard pearce, Ijn1s, or dickie barret , they are most annoying the way they twist their posts .. and they are not very popular on CBC.ca threads .. Canada supports Israel ...

  • 2. 7 5
    Syria/Iran Key
    • Balan Varma
    • 02.09.10
    • 08:34

    Syria & Iran are key to this issue of peace in middle east. YEt another chance for other Arab/Islamic nations in the region and beyond to rise above sectarian/religious politics and confront thse two rogue states and read the riot act to them. Once these two states are reined in HAMAS and such organization will become more amicable to peace talks.

  • 1. 8 1
    Wrong not to include hamas.
    • Not surprising
    • 02.09.10
    • 08:21

    This whole peace idea is rubbish without having Fatah and Hamas sign a pact first. Now any peace accord will be signed with the PA and Hamas, governing 1,8million people, will be left out. It's not a complete peace, and things will still be unstable and violent.