Ban Ki-moon condemns 'cynical' Hebron terror attack

UN chief says attack is a "blatant attempt" to derail peace talks; calls for swift justice of those responsible; sends condolences to the families of the 4 victims.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
ban ki-moon 311 (photo credit: AP)
ban ki-moon 311
(photo credit: AP)
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called Tuesday's terror attack near Kiryat Arba in which four Israelis were shot and killed a "blatant attempt" to derail upcoming peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, AFP reported.
"The secretary-general condemns the killing of four Israeli citizens in the West Bank on 31 August," Ban's spokesman said in a statement.
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He called for the swift justice of those responsible for the "cynical crime."
The statement also expressed Ban's condolences to the families of those slain in the attacks.
On Wednesday, the victims of the attacks were laid to rest in three separate cemeteries. Yitzhak Ames, 47, and his wife Tali Ames, 45, were buried at the Mount of Olives cemetery in Jerusalem, Kochava Even-Haim, 37, in Ashdod, and Avishai Schindler, 24, in Petah Tikva.
All four victims, killed while driving on Route 60 near Kiryat Arba on Tuesday night, were residents of Beit Haggai.
According to eyewitness reports, the terrorists succeeded in hitting the passengers in their initial fire, but then approached the car and shot the occupants again at close range.