We are horrified by the unfolding terrorist attack in Jerusalem, during which a Palestini­an terrorist entered a synagogue in the Neve Yaakov neigh­bour­hood during the Sabbath service and shot at least 8 wor­ship­pers to death, wounding many more.

To massacre civilians at prayer in a synagogue is an act of supreme cowardice and savagery and invokes the darkest moments of antisemitic history and Palestini­an terrorism.

We are appalled by the ensuing scenes from across the West Bank and Gaza of fireworks and dis­pens­ing of sweets to celebrate the taking of innocent life. This rep­res­ents the height of inhu­man­ity and shows the depth of hatred and depravity that confronts the people of Israel and all those who oppose antisemitism and terrorism.

There must be no attempts at drawing equi­val­ence between the anti-terror raids conducted in Jenin to neut­ral­ize precisely this sort of threat and those who wantonly slaughter civilians in a sanctuary. We call on the gov­ern­ment, media and civil society to unite against the scourge of murderous antisemitism and terrorism and to show solid­ar­ity with the State of Israel.

We are united with the people of Israel in their grief and anger. We pray for the souls of the murdered and for their families to be granted strength at this dev­ast­at­ing time.