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U.S. Condemns Terror Attacks in Jerusalem
The United States condemned “in the strongest terms” the terror attack that took place in Jerusalem on January 27th and deplored a subsequent attack the following day.
The first occurred in Jerusalem’s Neve Yaakov neighborhood, where people were leaving a synagogue. Seven people were killed and others were wounded when a Palestinian gunman opened fire. The 22-year-old gunman was shot and killed by Israeli police. The attack was the worst to occur in Israel in years. It took place on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The second attack occurred the morning after, when a 13-year-old terrorist opened fire on a group of Israelis outside the Old City of Jerusalem, severely wounding two people, a father and son.
On his arrival for a two-day visit to Israel on January 30, Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced the attacks.
“To take an innocent life in an act of terrorism is always a heinous crime, but to target people outside their place of worship is especially shocking,” said Secretary Blinken. “Friday’s attack was more than an attack on individuals; it was also an attack on the universal act of practicing one’s faith. We condemn it in the strongest terms. We also condemn the subsequent terrorist attack in Jerusalem on Saturday in which a father and son were wounded.”
Secretary Blinken deplored the celebrations of the attacks, as well, adding, “Calls for vengeance against innocent victims are not the answer and acts of retaliatory violence against civilians are never justified.”
Secretary Blinken said, “It is the responsibility of everyone to take steps to calm tensions rather than inflame them, to work toward a day when people no longer feel afraid in their communities, in their homes, in their places of worship. That is the only way to halt the rising tide of violence that has taken too many lives – too many Israelis, too many Palestinians.”
Later in the day, after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Secretary Blinken noted that President Biden had immediately called the Prime Minister after the attack outside the synagogue: “To underscore the United States’ steadfast support for Israel and its people, a message that I reaffirmed in the meeting we just had, in the context of this attack and escalating violence,” he said.
“It’s important,” declared Secretary Blinken, “that the government and the people of Israel know America’s commitment to their security remains ironclad.”