Israel has scaled up its military presence in the West Bank. The area has been unsettled for some time now. On Friday night, a deadly shooting took place at a synagogue in East Jerusalem, leaving at least seven dead and several injured. The day before, the Israeli army invaded a refugee camp in Jenin, followed by hours of shooting. Nine Palestinians were killed.
Tensions between Israel and the Palestinians have risen in recent days. There was also a shooting in eastern Jerusalem on Saturday morning, according to Israel. Two people were injured as a result. It is not known exactly where the shooting took place and what the motive is of the thirteen-year-old perpetrator, who has now been “neutralized”, according to the police.
On Friday, Holocaust Remembrance Day, visitors to a synagogue were shot at. The police killed the 21-year-old gunman, but say they are questioning “some relatives of the terrorist” and other suspects on Saturday. A total of 42 people have been arrested, according to international news agencies.
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Israel says a Palestinian man is behind Friday’s suspected terrorist attack. The gunman opened fire after the visitors left the prayer house at the end of the Sabbath celebration in the Neve Yaakov neighborhood. It is located in the part of the city that has been annexed by Israel. The Israeli police spoke of “one of the most violent attacks” in recent years.
UN General António Guterres said in a statement that there are “no excuses” for “terrorist acts”. He fears an escalation of violence in the West Bank. US President Joe Biden called the shooting an “attack on the civilized world”. Biden has since been in contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The British Foreign Secretary has also condemned the attack.