US Vice President Kamala Harris, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and other heads of state phoned Israel’s President Isaac Herzog Saturday night to express their condolences and give strength to the people of Israel following two deadly terror attacks in Jerusalem over the Sabbath.
Harris phoned the president to condemn the deadly terror attacks, give strength to the people of Israel, and express deepest condolences on behalf of herself and the people and leadership of the United States.
The calls followed a painful Shabbat on which seven civilians were murdered and five injured in attacks by Arab terrorists in Neve Yaakov and the City of David.
One of the attackers was a 13-year-old Arab boy.
Herzog thanked Harris for her warm words and underscored that Israel and the United States must work together and fight terror with determination.
In their conversation, the president added that Israel is looking forward to Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit this coming week.
Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), a ranking member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also condemned the attacks in no uncertain terms.
I condemn the terrorist attack against innocent civilians today in #Jerusalem. There is no equivalence between wanton acts of violence and Israeli military actions to eliminate terror cells plotting attacks against civilians. We stand with #Israel.
— Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member (@SenateForeign) January 27, 2023
Herzog also received calls from German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, French President Emanuel Macron, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, all of whom expressed their condolences to the families of the victims and to the people of Israel.
Kyiv’s Zelensky Condemns Attack, Notes 1 Victim Ukrainian
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky added his voice to the global chorus of leaders condemning the attacks.
We share ?? pain after the terrorist attacks in Jerusalem. Among the victims is a ?? woman. Sincere condolences to the victims' families. The crimes were cynically committed on the Intl Holocaust Remembrance Day. Terror must have no place in today's world. Neither in ?? nor in ??
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 28, 2023
“We share [Israel’s] pain after the terrorist attacks in Jerusalem. Among the victims is a [Ukrainian] woman,” Zelensky wrote. “Sincere condolences to the victims’ families. The crimes were cynically committed on [International] Holocaust Remembrance Day. Terror must have no place in today’s world. Neither in [Israel] nor in [Ukraine],” he wrote.
Czech Republic Sends ‘Deepest Condolences’
The president of the Czech Republic, Miloš Zeman, also expressed “deepest condolences” to Israel over the deadly Jerusalem terror attacks.
“President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman in the context of [the] terrorist attack at the Jerusalem synagogue expressed deepest condolences to the President of the State of Israel and the families of the victims in these difficult moments,” the Czech embassy wrote in a tweet. “He wishes all the injured a speedy recovery.”
EU ‘Horrified’ by ‘Insane’ Jerusalem Terror Attacks
The European Union likewise issued a statement on Saturday condemning the terror attacks in Jerusalem.
“The European Union is horrified by yesterday’s appalling terror attack in a Jerusalem synagogue, that killed at least seven people and left many injured, as they attended Shabbat service, and by this morning’s attack in East Jerusalem, which left two victims injured, one seriously,” The EU said in its statement.
“The EU strongly condemns these acts of insane violence and hate.
“These terrible events demonstrate once again how urgent it is to reverse this spiral of violence and engage in meaningful efforts to restart peace negotiations. We call on all parties not to react to provocations,” the statement added.
