Kerry slams Palestinian attacks during visit to Israel

Visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday condemned the lone-wolf attacks by Palestinians shortly after four Israelis were wounded in a run-over attack in the West Bank.

"I express my complete condemnation for any act of terror that takes innocent lives and disrupts the day-to-day life of a nation," Kerry told reporters in Jerusalem prior to his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Clearly, no people anywhere should live with daily violence. Israel has every right to defend itself," Kerry added.

The U.S. official, whose last visit to Israel was a year ago, said he plans to talk with Netanyahu on what moves should be taken "to push back terrorism" and "restore calm" regarding the Israeli-Palestinian violence.

Netanyahu said there "can be no peace when we have an onslaught of terror," comparing the Palestinian acts of terror to that of Muslim extremists throughout the world, and demanding support in Israel's fight against terrorism from the international community.

Kerry, who arrived in Israel on Tuesday morning for a 24-hour visit, will also meet with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, before going to Ramallah to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Prior to his arrival in Israel, Kerry said on Monday that "too many Israelis have been killed and stabbed, and too many Palestinians," adding he is trying to "get some concrete steps that would calm things down," Israeli media outlets reported.

Reports said Netanyahu demanded during his visit to Washington earlier this month that the U.S. administration would accept the Israeli construction in large settlement blocs in the West Bank, in exchange for gestures to the Palestinians that may calm the tension with the Palestinian Authority.

The reports, however, did not indicate what these gestures would entail, but said that such assurances is the only way Netanyahu will be able to provide gestures to the Palestinians amid the far-right makeup of his government.

Israel occupied the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip territories, where Palestinians wish to establish a state according to the two-state solution, in the 1967 Mideast War

On Monday, Netanyahu announced several measures to combat Palestinian attackers, including searches on Palestinian vehicles traveling on West Bank roads, setting up a bypass to the Gush Eztion junction for Israelis, and revoking work permits for families of Palestinian attackers. About 60,000 Palestinians from the West Bank are permitted to work in Israel.

At least 88 Palestinians and 21 Israelis have been killed since the violence started in September.

The violence started amid unrest over the east Jerusalem holy site, known as the al-Aqsa compound to Muslims or Temple Mount for Jews, and spread into full-blown violence amid dim prospects of renewing the peace process. Endit