Borg condemns attack in the West Bank

“I condemn the attack in the West Bank in the strongest possible terms. The sole objective of this attack was to impede the start of direct negotiations.

“I hope all sides will consider their response very carefully now and not allow themselves to be deflected from the path of negotiation and peace.” he Palestinian Islamist group Hamas claimed responsibility on Thursday for a shooting attack in which two Israelis were wounded in the occupied 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.

Gunmen from 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.

"The attack (on Wednesday) 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.