WASHINGTON, March 12, 2011 (WAFA) – The White House Saturday strongly condemned what it described as “the terrorist attack in the West Bank,” calling on the Palestinian Authority to also condemn it and bring the perpetrators to justice.
A statement by the White House Press Secretary said that “we condemn in the strongest possible terms the murder of five Israelis in a terrorist attack in the northern West Bank, and we offer our condolences to their loved ones and to the Israeli people.”
“There is no possible justification for the killing of parents and children in their home,” said the statement.
“We call on the Palestinian Authority to unequivocally condemn this terrorist attack and for the perpetrators of this heinous crime to be held accountable,” it said.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad had already condemned the Friday night attack that left five Israelis in the northern West Bank settlement of Itamar dead.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had also condemned the attack in a statement.
She said that “the United States condemns this appalling attack in the strongest possible terms.”
She said that “the murderers must be found and brought to justice.”
Clinton called on the Palestinian security to assist the Israeli security forces in their investigation of the attack 'in every way possible.'
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack and the Israeli army had not yet arrested anyone.
M.A.
