West Bank shooting attack results from Israeli practices: Hamas

Gaza, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement in Gaza backed on Tuesday a shooting attack that killed an Israeli civilian in a car in the vicinity of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

Hamas spokesman Fazwi Barhoum said in an emailed press statement that his movement blesses that attack "which was a result of the Zionist occupation (Israel) violations and a respond to its crimes against our people in the West Bank."

The spokesman of the Islamic movement held Israel responsible for the consequences and results of its "racist and extreme policies that are practiced against the Palestinian people."

Meanwhile, Abu Obeida, spokesman of Hamas armed wing al-Qassam Brigades, wrote on his Twitter account "the attack is a first practical response with fire to remind the leaders of the enemy that what you are afraid of is coming."

Several other minor militant groups in the Gaza Strip followed the chorus and hailed the attack in the West Bank. Officially, no one claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Israeli media reported that a Jewish settler died of gunshots Tuesday evening, near the West Bank city of Nablus.

The settler was driving in his car when he was shot at from a close range, thought to be from a vehicle passing by.

Israeli forces and groups of settlers took to the streets in the area near Israeli Jewish settlement of Yitshar, and some groups attacked nearby Palestinian villages like Sarrah, Burin and Jitt south of Nablus city, according to Palestinian sources. Enditem