Friday’s stampede, he said, “was much more than an attack on individuals. It was also an attack on the universal act of practicing one’s faith. We condemn it in the strongest terms.”
“And we condemn all who celebrate these and any other acts of terrorism that take innocent lives, no matter who the victim is or what they believe. Against more innocent victims Seeking vengeance is not the answer.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom Blinken will meet later on Monday, has called on more citizens to carry guns as a precaution against such street attacks. But he has also warned Israelis not to resort to vigilante violence.
Blinken is due to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday.
Israeli residents set fire to two cars near the northern West Bank city of Nablus on Monday and threw stones at a house near Ramallah, Palestinian officials said, following a similar attack on Sunday.
Elsewhere in the West Bank, Palestinian officials said Israeli troops killed a 26-year-old man at a checkpoint. The army said soldiers opened fire on the man’s car after he collided with one of them and attempted to flee the inspection.
In 2014, the last round of US-sponsored talks with Israel on the establishment of a Palestinian state stalled.