Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin responded Tuesday to the fatal terrorist attack in Vienna a day earlier, with the Israeli leader calling for the world to defeat the “savage” Islamist terrorism.
“Israel condemns the brutal attack in Vienna and stands in total solidarity with Austria. Civilized peoples everywhere must unite to defeat the savagery of resurgent Islamist terrorism,” Netanyahu posted to Twitter.
Rivlin tweeted: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Austria as we follow last night’s despicable terrorist attack in Vienna with concern.”
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz thanked Netanyahu and Rivlin for their “kind words of solidarity and support.”
“This means a lot to us in these difficult times. Austria will not be intimidated by such horrific acts of terror. Together we will defend our open societies and democratic values,” Kurz tweeted.
Responding to the shooting, Kurz called it a “repulsive terror attack” and said given it began outside Vienna’s main synagogue, he could not rule out an anti-Semitic motive.
“It was an attack out of hatred – hatred for our fundamental values, hatred for our way of life, hatred for our democracy in which all people have equal rights and dignity,” Kurz said on Tuesday.
Several gunmen opened fire in what was a coordinated across multiple locations in central Vienna. At least 17 people were injured, with seven in life-threatening condition.
One of the gunmen, a dual Austrian-North Macedonian national, was shot dead by police. Police launched a manhunt for the rest of the shooters on Tuesday morning.
The attack drew condemnation from leaders around the world.
President Donald Trump tweeted: “Our prayers are with the people of Vienna after yet another vile act of terrorism in Europe.”
“These evil attacks against innocent people must stop,” Trump added. “The U.S. stands with Austria, France, and all of Europe in the fight against terrorists, including radical Islamic terrorists,” he said.
French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country has experienced three Islamist attacks in recent weeks including a beheading of a schoolteacher and an attack in Nice which killed three people, said the “French share the shock and sorrow of the Austrian people.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel tweeted through her spokesperson, “The Islamist terror is our common enemy. The battle against these murderers and their instigators in our common fight.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted that he was “deeply shocked.”
“The UK’s thoughts are with the people of Austria — we stand united with you against terror,” he wrote.
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