The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, issued a statement Thursday night saying that he "condemns in the strongest terms today's savage attack on a Jewish seminary in west Jerusalem, and the deliberate killing and injuring of civilians" and extending his condolences to the families of those killed.

The statement went on to say: "The Secretary-General is deeply concerned at the potential for continued acts of violence and terrorism to undermine the political process, which he believes must be pursued to achieve a secure and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians, based on a two-State solution."