Netanyahu seeks strong, swift, and precise response after Jerusalem attack

(Patria) - Israel's response to the attack by a Palestinian gunman who killed seven people on the outskirts of Jerusalem will be "strong, swift, and precise," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"We are not seeking escalation, but we are prepared for any scenario," he said.

In an Israeli strike on Jenin in the West Bank on Thursday, nine people were killed, including an elderly woman, while on Friday, a Palestinian attacker killed at least seven people, including a 70-year-old woman, in a Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem, agencies recall.

On Saturday, a Palestinian attacker in his early teens opened fire in East Jerusalem, wounding two people.

The violence in Israel and Palestine has drawn condemnation and concern around the world. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will embark on a diplomatic tour of the region to try to stop the escalation of violence.