World leaders have called for calm as violence escalates in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
On Thursday, Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians in a raid in the Jenin refugee camp.
On the same day, a Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli forces in al-Ram, north of Jerusalem, in one of the deadliest days in the occupied West Bank.
A Palestinian gunman shot dead seven people outside a synagogue in occupied East Jerusalem on Friday.
On Saturday, a Palestinian shot and wounded two Israelis in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan, near Jerusalem’s historic Old City.
Here’s how senior figures around the world reacted to the escalation of violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories:
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres
Guterres’ spokesman said the “terrorist attack” outside a Jerusalem synagogue that killed seven people was “particularly abhorrent” because it took place at a place of worship on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The UN human rights office has called for an end to the “endless cycle of violence” in the occupied West Bank, adding it is “deeply concerned” by the rise in Palestinian casualties following one of the deadliest Israeli army raids in years.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas
Abbas announced three days of mourning for the souls of those killed in the Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp. Declaring three days of mourning, he also said the flags would be lowered “for the souls of the martyrs of the Israeli occupation massacres”.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell
The EU’s foreign and security chief strongly condemned the “acts of senseless violence and hatred” following the “appalling terror attack” outside a synagogue.
He also responded to the Jenin refugee camp raid, saying that while the EU recognized Israel’s “legitimate security concerns”, he stressed that “lethal force should only be used as a last resort when it is strictly unavoidable to protect life”.
Borrell said Israeli forces had killed 30 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the year, calling on all countries to “reverse this spiral of violence and make significant efforts to resume peace talks.”
US President Joe Biden
Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the shooting attack in Jerusalem that killed seven Israelis. He said the incident “was an attack on the civilized world,” according to a White House readout of the phone call.
The US president emphasized the US’s “ironclad” commitment to Israel’s security and agreed to keep his team in constant contact with their Israeli counterparts.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen
“A very difficult Sabbath for all Israelis. I send my condolences to the families of those killed in the horrific attack on the synagogue and join all Israelis in praying for the recovery of those injured,” Cohen wrote on Twitter.
“We will take firm action to restore the safety of Israeli citizens.”
A very difficult Sabbath for all Israelis. I send my condolences to the families of those killed in the terrible synagogue attack and pray with all Israelis for the recovery of the injured. We will act firmly to restore the safety of Israeli citizens.
— אלי כהן | Eli Cohen (@elicoh1) in 2023 January 27
French President Emmanuel Macron
Macron condemned the “hateful” synagogue attack on Twitter.
“A spiral of violence must be avoided at all costs,” he added, saying his thoughts were with the victims, their families and the people of Israel.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi
Zelenskyy shared on Twitter that his country shares Israel’s pain after the Jerusalem attacks and that a Ukrainian woman was among the victims of the synagogue shooting.
We share 🇮🇱 the pain after the terrorist attacks in Jerusalem. Among the victims is a 🇺🇦 woman. Sincere condolences to the relatives of the victims. The crimes were cynically committed on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Terror has no place in today’s world. Neither 🇮🇱 nor 🇺🇦
— Volodymyr Zelenskyi (@ZelenskyyUa) in 2023 January 28
Russia
Russia’s foreign ministry called on all countries to show “maximum restraint” and said it was following the latest developments “with great concern”.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
Scholz said he was “deeply shocked” by the “horrific” attacks in Jerusalem.
Germany’s foreign ministry condemned Friday’s “abhorrent” shooting outside a synagogue and stressed that “dialogue and cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority is more necessary than ever to eradicate terror.”
