After the conclusion of the Sabbath in Israel yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin, and government ministers and members of Knesset, published messages expressing their shock and sympathy following the shooting attack at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in which eleven people were killed during services on Saturday morning.
Netanyahu said, "We stand by the Jewish community. I was heartbroken and appalled by the murderous attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue today."
Minister of Education and Diaspora Affairs Naftali Bennett announced that he would travel immediately to the US to assist the local Jewish community and to take part in the funerals of those killed on behalf of the government of Israel. "When Jews are murdered in Pittsburgh, the people in Israel feel the pain. All Israel are guarantors for one another. The State of Israel mourns and grieves over this terrible anti-Semitic murder. Our Jewish sisters and brothers found themselves under a murderous terror attack when they were at prayer. Our hearts are with the families of the killed and wounded, and our prayer is that this is the last such incident."
President Rivlin said, "Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the events in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, We are thinking of ’our brothers and sisters, the whole house of Israel, in time of trouble’, as we say in the morning prayers. Ou hearts and thoughts are with the families of those murdered and we pray for the speedy recovery of the wounded. I am completely confident that the security forces and the authorities in the US will thoroughly investigate this terrifying incident and prosecute the despicable murderer with the full force of the law."
Labor Party leader Avi Gabbay also published a statement identifying with the community in Pittsburgh and expressing horror at the attack. "A person who opens fire in a synagogue is not attacking Reform Jews, Conservative Jews, Orthodox Jews or haredim. He attacks all Jews. We are all grieving this evening. Our hearts are with the Jewish community of Pittsburgh and with the families affected by this horrifying terror attack."
A 46-year old man, Robert Bowers, has been charged with murder in connection with the attack.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on October 28, 2018
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