World Jewish News

EU condemns Hamas' praise of terror attack by a Palestinin in Har Hadar

‘’There can be no justification for such a crime and attempts by Hamas to glorify the attack are reprehensible,’’ a European Union spokesperson said in a statement, following the shooting attack by a Palestinian which killed three Israelis and seriously injured another in Har Hadar, near Jerusalem.

The Hamas terror group praised the attack, saying, “Once again Jerusalem proves that it is at the heart of the conflict with the occupation, and that there is no way to get it out of the equation of the conflict.”

The terrorist who carried out the attack was identified as Nimr Mahmoud Ahmed Jamal.

Police said that the assailant, who is from the nearby village of Bayt Surik, arrived at the rear entrance of the community just before 07:00. Arousing suspicion he was questioned prompting him to open fire before being shot and killed by police officers at the scene. Initial reports suggest that the attacker used a handgun reported stolen from an Israeli citizen more than two years ago.

‘’Violence and terror will only achieve more loss and pain and must stop,’’ the EU statement said, mentioning secifically that the attack took place at a settlement in the West Bank.

‘’The European Union offers its deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the shootings,’’ it said.

The United States and the United Nations also condemned the terrorist attack in Har Adar, and called for a condemnation of terrorism. The short statement by the UN special envoy twice noticed that the attack took place in a “settlement.”

“I condemn this morning’s shooting attack by a Palestinian perpetrator in the Har Adar settlement in which one Israeli policeman and two security guards were killed, and another was seriously injured,” read the statement issued by UN Mideas special envoy Nickolay Mladenov.

“It is deplorable that Hamas and others continue to glorify such attacks, which undermine the possibility of a peaceful future for both Palestinians and Israelis,” he said. “I urge all to condemn violence and stand up to terror.”

The introduction to Mladenov’s comment read: “Statement by United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, on today’s attack in a settlement in the occupied West Bank.”

The US Embassy in Tel Aviv and the US Consulate in Jerusalem issued a joint statement condemning the attack. That statement made no reference to Har Adar as a settlement.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms today’s horrific attack in Har Adar,” the statement read. “We also condemn statements glorifying terrorism and call on all to send a clear message that terrorism must never be tolerated.”

The embassy in Tel Aviv deals with the Israeli government, and the consulate in Jerusalem is responsible for the Palestinian Authority.

EJP