In the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, unknown assailants set torched the private car of the Palestinian Minister for Prisoners’ Affairs, Wasfi Qabha. And in another incident, unknown gunmen fired shots at the Palestinian Stock Exchange in Nablus, causing damage.

PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 01:00 on Sunday, 28 May 2006, unknown assailants burned the private car belonging to the Palestinian Minister for Prisoners’ Affairs, Wasfi Qabha, was parked in front of the Minister’s house in the Palestinian Housing Quarter, in the northern part of Jenin.

The attack on the Minister’s vehicle is the second attack on public institutions and figures over the past two days. At approximately 01:00 on Friday, 26 May 2006, unknown gunmen fired shots at the Palestinian Stock Exchange located in the Qasr Hotel building, in the Rafedia Quarter of western Nablus. The attack caused material damage to the exchange. Sources from the stock exchange indicated that the attack was motivated by losses incurred by some individuals, due to the decline in stocks of some companies.

PCHR views with great concern the repeated attacks on public officials, which are part of the ongoing security chaos plaguing the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Centre calls upon the Palestinian National Authority, represented by the Attorney-General, to investigate these attacks and to bring the perpetrators to justice.