(August 9, 2001) -- Human Rights Watch condemned the suicide bomb attack today on a crowded Jerusalem restaurant that killed at least 15 people and injured ninety. The attack killed six children.
Human Rights Watch welcomed Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's condemnation of the attack and urged the Palestinian Authority to exert every possible effort to bring those responsible to justice.
"This escalating cycle of violence must end," said Hanny Megally, executive director of the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch. "The Palestinian Authority has a clear obligation to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for planning and carrying out such attacks."
The explosion took place at approximately two p.m., during the busy lunch period, at the Sbarro restaurant in West Jerusalem. According to initial reports, a suicide bomber entered the restaurant and detonated a bomb. Both Palestinian militant groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas have claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in response to Israel's policy of assassinating those allegedly involved in planning or carrying out violence.
Human Rights Watch expressed deep concern at the increasing disregard for fundamental human rights and humanitarian law in the present crisis and urged both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government to work hard to ensure that international standards are respected.
"The deliberate targeting of civilians, including innocent children, can never be justified, even during times of armed conflict," said Megally.
