Netanyahu: Enlightened nations must join together to fight terror

The premier also extended his condolences to the families of the victims and said that Israel stands "shoulder to shoulder with the American people.”

By HERB KEINON
Updated: JUNE 13, 2016 18:30
Netanyahu: Enlightened nations must join together to fight terror
The terrorism that struck in Orlando over the weekend threatens the entire world, and the enlightened nations of the world must unite to fight it, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday.
Netanyahu’s comments came at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, where he reiterated that “we stand shoulder to shoulder with the American people.”
“We are all shocked by the horrible massacre in Orlando,” he said. “I want to express condolences in the name of the government and the Israeli people to the American people and the families [of the victims] at this difficult hour.”
A gunman identified as Omar Saddiqui Mateen killed at least 50 people and injured 53 others in a gay nightclub in Florida early on Sunday before police shot him dead in what US authorities described as a "terrorism incident."
Construction Minister Yoav Galant told reporters he believes international cooperation will increase to deal with the challenge posed by a single gun, camera and social media. He said that because Israel unfortunately has experience dealing with this, it will have an important role in this cooperation.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah also denounced Sunday's shooting as a "senseless act of terror and hate" and extended his sympathies to everyone impacted by the event.
"The  Government of Palestine condemns this senseless act of terror and hate in Orlando, Florida," Hamdallah said in a press release Monday.
"Our heartfelt condolences to all the grieving families, relatives and friends of the victims. Palestinians stand with the American people in this difficult time," he added.
A senior FBI official said there were suggestions that the gunman might have had leanings toward Islamic State militants but that this required further investigation.
Mateen's father said to the contrary that the shooting had nothing to do with terrorism rather, his son was angered when "he said two men kissing."
Although at this time, no terror organization has taken credit for the heinous attack, pro-ISIS twitter accounts have posted pictures of Mateen, praising his violent act.
Daniel J Roth and Reuters contributed to this article.


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