Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the terrorist attacks in Jerusalem on Wednesday morning that left at least one person dead and 26 more wounded.
Shortly after the explosions, he issued a response saying he is "praying for the health of the injured people, in the coordinated terror attack in Jerusalem this morning and send my support to the security forces who are operating on the ground."
Leader of the far-right Religious Zionists party Bezalel Smotrich who aimed at taking the post of Israel’s next defense minister in coalition talks with Netanyahu’s Likud party also tweeted his reaction on a “hard morning in Jerusalem.”
“This takes us back to sights that the brain remembers but the heart wants to forget. At this time I only ask to send complete healing to the wounded and reinforcement and a big hug to the security forces,” he wrote.
Leader of the far-right Jewish Power party Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is a top candidate for the public security minister position in the new government, issued a statement following the first attack.
"I am on my way to the scene of the painful and sad attack when an explosive device has returned us to the damned Intifada time. It is time to act with determination and a hard hand against the terrorists, it is time to organize the country," he wrote.
Upon arriving at the scene, he said that Israel has to “bring back targeted assassinations” and put more restrictions on prisoners convicted of security crimes.
“Terror needs to pay a very, very, very high price,” Ben-Gvir told reporters, adding that Israel should stop the Palestinian Authority’s payments to families of terrorists, and “enact a lockdown and go house to house.”
U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem condemned the attacks "in strongest possible terms" and offered "sincere condolences to the victims and their loved ones."
"We are closely monitoring the situation. Terrorism is a dead-end that accomplishes absolutely nothing."
The EU ambassador to Israel Dimiter Tzantchev said he was “horrified” by the attacks.
“Horrified by the terror attacks in Jerusalem that killed one person and left many people injured, including some in critical and serious conditions. I express my deepest condolences to the family of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to all injured. Terror is never justified,” he tweeted.
UK ambassador to Israel Neil Wigan also expressed his support for the victims of the attacks.
"I am shocked by the terrorist attacks this morning near Jerusalem, that killed one person and injured many others. Our deepest sympathies to those affected and their families and friends. The UK stands with Israel against terrorism," he wrote.
There were no claims of responsibility for the attacks. However, Palestinian terror groups welcomed the explosions.
Reprinted with permission from i24NEWS