Netanyahu thanks French FM for gov’t actions on Toulouse murders

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe for his country’s strong and clear response to the deadly shooting in Toulouse.

The leaders met in Jerusalem after the funeral of the four victims on Wednesday afternoon.

Netanyahu stressed the difference between terrorism that targets unarmed schoolchildren and teachers, and the accidental killing of children in the battle against terror. “If we don’t create that distinction – the terrorists will win,” Netanyahu said.

Earlier, Juppe, who arrived in Israel on the same plane as the bodies of the four terror victims, met with President Shimon Peres.

I’m here to express our solidarity, Juppe told Peres, minutes before the funeral procession started.

“I’m here to express and represent the French government and president,” Juppe said, adding he wanted to express his solidarity with the families of the victims. “This was a despicable and intolerable murder” he added, saying the blood of both the French and Israeli nations was spilled in the vicious attack.

Peres thanked Juppe for coming to Israel and expressing the strong commitment and connections between the countries. “The two countries are united in the face of evil,” he added.

“We will win because we represent justice,” the Israeli president said.

The two leaders met as French police continued to surround the home of a man suspected of carrying out the shooting. A number of police officers were injured in a shootout with the man, who is believed to have ties with al-Qaeda. Police think he may have been involved in other recent shooting events in France.