Four Israelis killed in West Bank shooting

Four Israelis were killed on Tuesday after a Palestinian gunman opened fire on their vehicle on the West Bank. Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld is quoted as saying that the gunman opened fire on the vehicle near the city of Hebron.

Citing a person who knew the killed couple, The Washington Post reported that they were identified as Yitzhak and Taliyah Immas, immigrants from the former Soviet Union. The other two passengers, a man and a woman, were identified as Avishai Shindler and Kochava Even Haim. One of the four killed was a pregnant woman, Israeli media reported.

"This is an apparent attempt by lowly terrorists to sabotage the attempt to achieve a diplomatic process and to try to hurt the chances of the talks opening in Washington," said Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak in a statement. He said that Israel would exact a price for the killings.

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said in a statement, that Palestine “condemns this operation, which contradicts the Palestinian interest and efforts by the Palestinian leaders to gain international support for the rights of our people." He described the attack as “contrary to the Palestinian national interests.”

The White House issued a statement calling for "the terrorists behind this horrific act to be brought to justice.” It noted that the Palestinian leaders had condemned the attack and said of the upcoming direct talks between Israel and Palestine. "On the eve of the re-launch of direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, this brutal attack underscores how far the enemies of peace will go to try to block progress. It is crucial that the parties persevere, keep moving forward, even through difficult times, and continue working to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region that provides security for all peoples," it said.

Tony Blair, the Middle East Quartet representative, said: "We must not allow extremists to derail the process."