Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu released a special video message to the American people on Saturday night, following the massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
“The people of Israel grieve with you. When we see these horrible sights of slain children, young boys and girls whose life is nipped in the bud in such cruel acts of savagery, I can tell you from my own experience that we understand the pain and agony. We feel we’re one family with you, and I can only pray that G-d will give you the strength, as he’s given us, to overcome the tragedy and go on living.
“May the memories of these slain innocents be enshrined for all times.”
Earlier on Saturday, Netanyahu wrote a condolence letter to President Obama, in which he drew a parallel to the acts of barbaric Arab terrorism Israel has to deal with.
"I was shocked and horrified by today's savage massacre of innocent children and adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut," Netanyahu wrote.
"We in Israel have experienced such cruel acts of slaughter and we know the shock and agony they bring.
"I want to express my profound grief, and that of all the people in Israel, to the families that lost their loved ones.
Among the 20 children murdered in the Connecticut school massacre was Noah Posner, a six-year-old Jewish boy. His twin sister was also a pupil in the school, but escaped with her life.
The murderer, who has been identified as 20-year-old Adam Lanza, murdered 20 children and six adults before killing himself. He had earlier shot and killed his own mother.