The Jerusalem Post (www.jpost.com) reports that Palestinian terrorists from the Islamic Jihad deliberately murdered four Israelis that were celebrating the Sabbath, having dinner:

Two Palestinian gunmen infiltrated into the West Bank settlement of Otniel, south of Hebron on Friday night and opened fire killing four people and wounding seven, the IDF said. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to a report on Channel 1 television the terrorists entered the dining hall of a yeshiva (Jewish seminary) just after 8:00 PM as the students were sitting down to Friday night Sabbath dinner and opened fire.

At least one of the gunmen was killed by troops who arrived at the scene and security forces are searching for the second who is believed to be hiding in a building on the settlement or may have fled the scene.

Residents were asked to remain in their houses. [...]

A spokesman for the Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, Israel Radio reported. The spokesman did not name the attackers but promised to do so later.

Update: Soldiers from the Nahal brigade and IDF trackers found the second terrorist, who had fled from Otniel after the attack, and killed him, Israel Radio reported.

I copy the full article below.

Four killed in Islamic Jihad shooting attack on Otniel yeshiva
Dec. 27, 2002, By THE JERUSALEM POST INTERNET STAFF
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?
pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/ShowFull&
cid=1040966277438

Two Palestinian gunmen infiltrated into the West Bank settlement of Otniel, south of Hebron on Friday night and opened fire killing four people and wounding seven, the IDF said. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to a report on Channel 1 television the terrorists entered the dining hall of a yeshiva (Jewish seminary) just after 8:00 PM as the students were sitting down to Friday night Sabbath dinner and opened fire.

At least one of the gunmen was killed by troops who arrived at the scene and security forces are searching for the second who is believed to be hiding in a building on the settlement or may have fled the scene.

Residents were asked to remain in their houses.

The wounded were evacuated to the Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva by ambulance and by military helicopters. The Magen David Adom said that two of the wounded were in a serious condition, with the other five in a moderate condition - suffering from gunshot wounds.

A spokesman for the Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, Israel Radio reported. The spokesman did not name the attackers but promised to do so later.

He said the attack was in response to the killing of nine Palestinians by the IDF on Thursday. In particular the killing of Hamza Abu Roub, 35, a senior Islamic Jihad military commander in Kabatiya, south of Jenin.

The army said the attackers came from the direction of the nearby Arab village of Samoa.

The shooting came a day after Israeli troops killed nine Palestinians in raids in the West Bank and Gaza Strip In the past, Palestinian terror groups have carried out revenge attacks for such Israeli strikes.

Friday's shooting came after a month of relative calm.

(With The Associated Press)

Posted by David Melle
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