The UN Secretary-General on Friday strongly
condemned Friday’s terrorist attack by a Palestinian man
outside a synagogue in a Jerusalem neighbourhood which has left
at least seven Israelis dead, and three others injured.
According to news reports, the incident happened in the Neve
Yaakov district in the middle of the evening local time. Israeli
police said the attacker, identified as a Palestinian from the
Shu’fat refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem, had been
“neutralized” at the scene.
In a statement issued by his Spokesperson, António
Guterres extended his heartfelt condolences to the
families of those killed, and wished a prompt recovery for those
injured.
‘Abhorrent’ assault, on Holocaust Memorial Day
“It is particularly abhorrent that the attack
occurred at a place of worship, and on the very day
we commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day”, the
statement said.
No excuse for terror
“There is never any excuse for acts of terrorism.
They must be clearly condemned and rejected by all.”
Friday’s incident followed on from a worrying escalation in
violence in recent months, and the deaths of
nine Palestinians, militants and well as several
civilians, at a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank town of
Jenin on Thursday, following an Israeli raid targeting what they
said was an active group of Islamic Jihad militants.
Palestinian militants in Gaza launched rockets into Israel in
response, which Israeli forces met with air strikes on the
Palestinian enclave.
‘Utmost restraint’ needed
“The Secretary-General is deeply worried about the
current escalation of violence in Israel and the occupied
Palestinian territory”, said the statement. “This is the
moment to exercise utmost restraint.”
The Security Council met
behind closed doors to discuss the escalating crisis on Friday
afternoon in New York.
The High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations
(UNAOC), Miguel Ángel Moratinos, who
is tasked with building bridges between faiths and fighting
antisemitism, also issued a statement strongly condemning what he
described as an “horrific terrorist attack” on Jewish
worshippers, after Friday Sabbath prayers.
“The High-Representative stresses that such a
heinous crime is unjustifiable whenever, wherever
and by whomsoever committed”, the statement
added.
