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Why Netanyahu rushed to link Jerusalem attack to IS

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to blame the Islamic State for the terror attack in Jerusalem, ignoring that Palestinian assailants are motivated first and foremost by the Israeli occupation.
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Just moments after the Jan. 8 terror attack in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was already able to state categorically, “We know the identity of the attacker, and according to all the signs he is a supporter of Islamic State [IS].” The blood of the four dead and 17 wounded had not even dried when he declared with certitude, “This is part of the same pattern inspired by Islamic State, by ISIS, that we saw first in France, then in Germany and now in Jerusalem.”

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman also knew right away, stating, “What we have before us is a terror attack purely at the instigation of IS. … We saw it in France, we saw it in Berlin and unfortunately we saw it today in Jerusalem.” The defense minister asserted with total confidence, “It’s clear that there was only one reason for this cruel terror attack — because we are Jews and we’re living here in the State of Israel.”

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