Kerry and Netanyahu meet in New York, October 2, 2015
Kerry and Netanyahu meet in New York, October 2, 2015Avi Ohayon/GPO

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Friday met in New York with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and expressed his dismay over the fact that Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas has not condemned Thursday’s terror attack in Samaria in which Rabbi Eitam and Naama Henkin were murdered in front of their children.

At the start of the meeting, Netanyahu stressed that Israel plans to respond to the cruel murder.

"I wish to extend my condolences to the family. This murder will not pass without a response,” he said, adding, “We've increased the presence of our forces on the ground, we are changing the activity of the forces on the ground. We will find these murderers, we will bring them to justice and, above all, we will take actions to make sure they understand that there is no reward for terrorism.”

"I appreciate the condemnation issued by the State Department," Netanyahu continued. "I must say that I have not heard any condemnation from Abbas and the Palestinian leadership. Even worse, I heard Fatah officials hailing this. They said that things like this should be done. This is not the way."

Kerry expressed his condolences for the murder and called for constructive steps to eradicate recent violence in the region.

"I am pleased that we have a chance to talk, and I express once again not only our condolences but also our condemnation of the violence which has no place," Kerry said, adding, "This is what brings me today to talk to you about violence. You know this because you live it every day. I think there are ways to collaborate, to take constructive steps to deal with it. We share in your grief."

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)