We condemn in the strongest way possible the brutal attack on worshippers at the synagogue in the Har Nof Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Jerusalem by Palestinian terrorists on November 18, 2014. The resulting injuries, including the death of four of those gathered for worship, are unconscionable acts that inflame the already dangerous tensions that plague the Holy City, and push farther into the future the prospects of a peaceful resolution of the larger issues of peace in Israel/Palestine.
We applaud the prompt condemnation of the murders by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. “The presidency condemns the attack on Jewish worshippers in their place of prayer and condemns the killing of civilians no matter who is doing it.”
At the same time, we condemn messages coming from the Hamas community that applaud this violence against Jews by what appears to be a faction of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
May we all be in prayer for the families of the victims of this horror, as well as for all who are victims of the cycle of violence and retribution that involves both Palestinians and Israelis. Let us all continue to urge leaders of both communities to eschew violence and begin to make the difficult but necessary decisions on which a lasting peace can be built.