"I can assure you that we stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel in the fight against terrorism,“ wrote Chancellor Angela Merkel in her message of condolence to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
1 min reading time
The German government condemns the terrorist attack in Jerusalem in the strongest possible terms.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has asked Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express her deepest sympathy to the families of the victims and to pass on her wishes for a speedy recovery to those injured. Four people were killed in the attack on 8 January, and many more were injured.
The German government feels "a very special bond to the people in Israel and to the state of Israel at this time", said federal government spokesperson Steffen Seibert at the government press conference. The attack in Jerusalem is reminiscent of the attack at Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz.
Islamist terrorist is a hard test for Germany and for many of its partners around the globe, he said. "The fight against the murderers and the people behind them thus also calls for worldwide solidarity and for common efforts," Steffen Seibert continued.
On Sunday, Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the vicious attack in the strongest possible terms and added "We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Israeli friends at this difficult time. Terrorism is a threat to us all."
"The attackers seem to have had a clear aim: to inflame the tensions in the Middle East and to start a new spiral of violence. They must not be permitted to realise this goal," warned Frank-Walter Steinmeier.