Avni gave Biden an identical letter addressed to Mahmoud Abbas, and asked him to forward it to the Palestinian leader along with a copy of his father’s book.
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“He expressed his sorrow at the tragic loss of American life and offered his condolences to the family of the American citizen murdered in the attack, as well as his wishes for a full and quick recovery for the wounded”, Biden’s office said.
The attacker died minutes later when police shot and killed him.
Azarihab, a 40-year-old ultra-Orthodox Jewish man, was able to leave the store while its owner attempted to subdue the attacker, police said.
Israel said Thursday it is looking into the death of a Palestinian attacker shot dead by police after he killed an American student in a stabbing spree earlier this week. “There can be no justification for this hateful violence, and the United States stands firmly behind Israel when it defends itself as we are defending ourselves at this moment as well”.
In Jerusalem two Palestinians from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya opened fire on officers, critically injuring two near the Damascus Gate, according to the police statement.
The most recent round of peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians came under the auspices of the United States.
An American tourist, Vanderbilt graduate student Taylor Force, 29, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, was killed in the attack, which wounded about a dozen others, including Force’s wife.
Violence has surged since Biden’s arrival in Israel on Tuesday as part of a regional tour.
“Let me say in no uncertain terms the USA condemns these acts and condemns the failure to condemn them”. Hamas claimed responsibility for the stabbings over social media. Over the past five months Palestinians have killed at least 30 Israelis and Israeli forces have killed more than 180 Palestinians, a majority of whom were shot after allegedly carrying out attacks on Israelis.
Senior Palestinian official Ahmed Majdalani said he was expecting “nothing” from Biden’s visit.
They have been working on a new 10-year defence aid package for Israel, now worth some US$3.1 billion (S$4.28 billion) annually in addition to spending on projects such as missile defence.
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Palestinian reports identified the gunmen as Abdul-Malak Saleh Abu Kharoub, 19, and Muhammad Jamal al-Kalouti, 21, from Kafr Aqeb, north of Jerusalem.
