Jerusalem school massacre condemned

The Middle East peace process has taken another huge blow after eight people were shot dead in a gun attack on a Jewish school.A Palestinian man opened fire at the school in Jerusalem in the most devastating attack in Israel for two years.The attacker was killed by an Israeli army officer who lives nearby and ran to the school after hearing gunfire.As ambulances sped to the area, a Zaka emergency worker said he counted eight bodies at the seminary.According to witnesses, two gunmen entered the school's crowded compound, where a religious ceremony was under way, and opened fire.One witness said: "There was a lot of gunfire and hysteria."A spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Office said "terrorists are trying to destroy the chances of peace but we will certainly continue peace talks" with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.There have been no immediate claims of responsibility but in the Gaza Strip, gunmen fired in the air to celebrate the attack."This is God's vengeance," blared a loudspeaker in a Gaza City mosque.Prime Minister Gordon Brown condemned the Jerusalem massacre, describing it as "an attempt to strike a blow at the very heart of the peace process".US President George W Bush was also quick to condemn the attack.He said: "I condemn in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack in Jerusalem that targeted innocent students at the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva."He confirmed he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to offer condolences."I told him the United States stands firmly with Israel in the face of this terrible attack," said Mr Bush.© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.

» More on this story... «

ITN | March 7, 2008

Tags:. .harav. .yeshiva. .possible. .east. .brown