Leaders from around the world condemned the horrific truck-ramming terror attack in Jerusalem and stated their support for Israel.
Leaders from around the world condemned the terror attack in Jerusalem on Sunday in which a terrorist rammed his truck into a group of IDF soldiers, murdering four and wounding 15.
“Such cowardly acts can never be justified, and we call on all to send a clear and unequivocal message that terrorism must never be tolerated,” a White House statement read. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and our hopes for quick and full recovery for those who were wounded.”
The US State Department released a similar statement condemning the “horrific vehicular attack by a terrorist in Jerusalem.”
“There is absolutely no justification for these brutal and senseless attacks,” the statement read.
Additionally, the statement denounced the “glorification of terrorism” in Palestinian society and offered condolences to the families of the four murdered soldiers as well as wishes for a fast recovery to the injured.
“Canada stands firmly with Israel in condemning today’s horrific terrorist attack. Our thoughts are with the victims’ families & the injured,” tweeted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The European Union (EU) also condemned the attack and slammed “any praise or incitement for terrorist attacks.”
In a statement released Sunday, the United Nations Security Council decried the attack “in the strongest terms.”
“Today we saw evil and cruelty incarnate,” stated Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon. ”This murderous attack is a direct result of murderous Palestinian incitement.”
“The fanatical terrorism that struck in Berlin and Nice did not discriminate in its victims, and neither did the attack in our capital of Jerusalem today,” he said.
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov said it was “reprehensible that some choose to glorify such acts which undermine the possibility of a peaceful future for both Palestinians and Israelis. There is nothing heroic in such actions.”
“I urge all to condemn violence and incitement, maintain calm and to do everything they can to avoid further escalation,” Mladenov stated.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault wrote that “at this painful moment, France stands with together with Israel in its combat against terrorism. My thoughts are with the casualties of this horrible attack.”
Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said the West could win the war on terror only if it remains unified, pointing to the similarity of the Islamic attacks in Europe and in Israel.
Hamas Praises the Murderous Attack
The Hamas terror group praised the attack on twitter, describing the terrorist’s actions as “heroic and brave.”
Hamas organized two marches on Sunday – in Jabaliya and inthe al-Shati refugee camp in the Gaza Strip – to celebrate the attack.
Speaking at the scene of the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the terrorist was inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS) and the attacks carried out by the terrorist organization in France and Germany.
“We in Jerusalem have just experience an unprovoked terrorist attack, a murderous attack that claimed the lives of four young Israelis and wounded others. This is part of the same pattern inspired by Islamic State, by ISIS, that we saw first in France, then in Germany and now in Jerusalem. This is part of the same ongoing battle against this global scourge of the new terrorism. We can only fight it together, but we have to fight it, and we will,” Netanyahu stated.
Although terrorists in Europe have increasingly adopted the tactic of vehicle-ramming in recent months, such attacks in Israel are not a new phenomenon, the IDF pointed out. In 2008, Palestinian terrorists used cars and bulldozers to kill and injure multiple people in and around Jerusalem.
Since October 2015, the start of a wave of terror in Israel, terrorists have committed 40 vehicular terror attacks.
By: United with Israel Staff
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