The two sides are set to resume negotiations tomorrow in Washington with US mediation. Four Jewish settlers are killed in the West Bank, including a pregnant woman. PM Netanyahu pledges to punish those responsible. About 31 per cent of Palestinians are in favour of “direct” talks, but 65 per cent do not believe Obama will be able to establish an independent Palestinian state.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) – The murder of four Israelis yesterday, including a pregnant woman, near the Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba, in the West Bank, will not stop direct peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Washington tomorrow. Hamas’ military wing, the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the attack, calling it a “heroic operation”. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a manhunt for the assassins, saying the Washington talks would not be cancelled. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed. The White House slammed the killing of Jewish settlers in the "strongest possible terms." In the meantime, the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion released survey results indicating that about 31 per cent of the Palestinian public are in favour of direct negotiations, but that two thirds do not believe Barack Obama can deliver on  a Palestinian state.

Last night, an Israeli car driving down Highway 60, a busy route used by both Palestinians and Jewish settlers, was shot at from a passing vehicle. Four people were killed, two men and two women, one of whom was pregnant, all from the same family, ages ranging 25 to 40.

Israeli security forces said the attack was a pre-planned and launched a manhunt to find the perpetrators. In Hebron, the Palestinian National Authority arrested dozens of known members of Hamas.

The attack came on the eve of direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders scheduled to start tomorrow in Washington, and was meant to prevent peace between the two sides, which all parties must strive for "to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region", a US statement said.

Tomorrow’s talks come after a long period of “indirect” talks under US mediation.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that those responsible for yesterday’s attack would be punished, insisting that talks would not be cancelled.

In its latest survey, the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion found 31.7 per cent of the Palestinian public are in favour of those talks, compared to 31.1 who back a freeze on negotiations.

However, and this despite strong White House pressure for a deal, two Palestinians in three (65.8 per cent) do not believe US President Barack Obama can deliver on an independent Palestinian state. Only 32.3 per cent believe he can.

More than half of respondents (54.8 per cent) would prefer a two-state solution with a Palestinian state alongside Israel in peace and harmony. Only 26.7 per cent wants a bi-national state all over Palestine in which Israelis and Palestinians enjoy equal representation and equal rights.

For 4.9 per cent of respondents, there is no solution for this conflict.

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