Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday criticized Palestinians for a “failure to condemn” a stabbing spree that killed an American student and war veteran the day before, after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ political party posted a statement online praising the stabber. The school, which identified Force as the victim, said all other Vanderbilt students, faculty and staff on the trip were safe. Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the French proposal “baffling” and bound for failure.
Advertisement
A large number of the attackers have been young people, including teenagers, who appear to have been acting on their own.
One possibility under discussion is to issue an outline of a deal to end the almost 70-year-old conflict on such matters as borders, security, the status of Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees.
Israeli soldiers check Palestinians at a checkpoint on the road to the village of Hajja near the West Bank city of Nablus, Wednesday, March 9, 2016.
At least 28 Israelis and 176 Palestinians have been killed in a wave of stabbings, auto rammings and shootings dating back to September linked to tensions over a sensitive holy site in the Old City, according to the Associated Press.
“Mr. Biden is only coming to the region in the context of his plans regarding the fight against terrorism in Syria, not for us”, he told AFP, referring to talks between Biden and Netanyahu on the Islamic State jihadist group.
It was reported by Global News that the attacker was found dead on the pavement after police shot him near a beach popular with tourists.
Israeli authorities were investigating whether his injuries were the result of police or assailant gunfire. Police engaged the two gunmen in a gunbattle.
“It’s one of the ideas that they are talking about”, said a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The rest were killed in clashes with security forces.
Advertisement
Israeli police also stated both of yesterday’s attackers from the West Bank had entered into Israel illegally, and did not possess any special travel or work permits.
