Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has criticized recent attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank city of Hebron.
Mr. Olmert told his Cabinet Sunday that he was "ashamed" after seeing video of Jewish settlers shooting at Palestinians late last week.
He said the violence amounted to a "pogrom," a word most often used to describe organized attacks or persecution against Jews.
On Thursday, Jewish settlers shot three Palestinians and burned Palestinian homes and olive groves. The settlers were angered that Israeli police had forcibly evicted a group of them from a disputed house, in accordance with an order from Israel's Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, an Israeli human rights group said discrimination against Palestinians in the West Bank is reminiscent of the apartheid regime in South Africa.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel says the discrimination in services, budgets, and access to natural resources between the two groups constitutes a gross violation of the principle of equality.
The group also notes the lack of proper infrastructure and access to health services in Arab neighborhoods.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
