Tonight, bloodthirsty murderers claimed the lives of a mother and a father, leaving their young children orphaned. The heart breaks at the magnitude of such cruelty and hatred.

Abu Mazen's speech was deceitful and encourages incitement and lawlessness in the Middle East. We call on the Palestinian Authority and its leader to enter into direct negotiations with Israel without preconditions.

Israel desires peace with the Palestinians who are continuing to spread gross lies about our policy on the Temple Mount. Israel is committed to the status quo. It is the Palestinian rioters who are harming the sanctity of the place.

The Government of Israel welcomes Egyptian President Abdul Fatah al-Sisi's call to expand the peace with Israel to include additional Arab countries.

They called on Islamic religious leaders and others to work together to end the violence in Jerusalem and its surrounding area and to prevent riots and violations of public order in the holy places, which are for prayer.

This is a great victory for Israel in the international arena. In recent weeks, there has been a combined national effort, led by the Prime Minister, the National Security Council, the Foreign Ministry, and the Atomic Energy Commission.

Israel is acting against the violence on the Temple Mount and is strictly maintaining the status quo, Palestinian incitement to the contrary notwithstanding.

PM Netanyahu: "We intend to give soldiers and police officers the tools necessary to act very firmly against those who throw stones and firebombs. We are changing our policy to declare war on those who throw rocks and firebombs."

We remain committed to fighting the forces of militant Islam that have caused so much death and destruction both before and since that terrible day.

On behalf of all the people in Israel, I send you my best wishes for a sweet new year. Israel faces many challenges both internally and externally which we can and will overcome - as we have done many times before.

Director General Dore Gold: "Under the leadership of PM Netanyahu and Egyptian President el-Sisi, we succeeded in driving away the threats, and we’re working together for the sake of stability and prosperity in the Middle East."

PM Netanyahu expresses his condolences to the Dawabsha family following the death of Riham Dawabsha who was critically wounded in the act of terrorism in Duma.

The President expressed his distress over the wave of anti-Semitism which has swept the world. The Pope agreed with the President on the issue, noting that those who seek to threaten Israel's existence are rooted in anti-Semitism.

President Rivlin departed today on his first official visit to the Vatican and to Rome. He will express to the Pope the importance that the State of Israel places on the preservation of freedom of religion for the different faiths in Israel.

President Rivlin: Iran continues to threaten stability in the region and around the world. Their backing of terror makes Iran's nuclear ambitions, truly terrifying - not just for Israel, but for all.