At least seven killed by gunman in terror attack on Jerusalem synagogue

Jan. 27 (UPI) -- A gunman killed at least seven people at a synagogue in the Neve Yaakov neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, Israeli police said Thursday.

Police said the 21-year-old attacker, a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem, was killed in a shootout with police after fleeing the scene in a vehicle. Police also said they believed the attacker acted alone. Three people were critically injured, according the Israeli police's international spokesman Dean Elsdunne.

The shooting comes one day after Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

"We strongly condemn the heinous terror attack that took place this evening at a synagogue in Jerusalem and are shocked and saddened by the loss of life ...," said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement late Friday.

Unlike Palestinian citizens of Israel, who have the right to vote in Israeli elections and travel throughout the nation, Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem are allowed to travel in Israel but are generally not permitted to vote in Israeli legislative elections, though they are allowed to vote for the Jerusalem municipal council.

Palestinian residents of the West Bank and Gaza are not allowed to travel in Israel without special permission.