Christian Broadcasting Network CEO Gordon Robertson Thursday attributed the deadly attacks on a shopping mall Wednesday in downtown Tel Aviv to "violent anti-Semitism" from the boycott, divestment, and sanction movement.
"This latest terrorist attack is a direct result of incitement within the Palestinian community in the West Bank and points to the encouragement of violent anti-Semitism by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction movement," Robertson said.
"All of us at the Christian Broadcasting Network mourn the deaths of innocent Israelis who were murdered by Palestinian terrorists in the Sarona Market in Tel Aviv yesterday," he added. "We at CBN, and many others in the Christian community around the world, strongly condemn these acts of violence and stand with Israel."
Two women and two men were killed and six others were wounded in the attack market, located near Israel's Defense Ministry. The assault was the deadliest single incident since an attack on a Jerusalem synagogue in November 2014 that killed five people.
Two gunmen, cousins in their 20s who, security experts said, appeared to have entered Israel without permits, were quickly apprehended. One of them was shot and wounded.
The assailants came from near Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. They dressed in suits and ties and posed as customers at a restaurant, ordering a drink and a chocolate brownie before pulling out automatic weapons and opening fire.
In response, the Israeli military on Thursday revoked permits for 83,000 Palestinians to visit Israel and said it would send hundreds more troops to the occupied West Bank.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault, though Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups were quick to praise it.
The BDS movement was begun by Palestinians 2005. The anti-Israel campaign seeks to call on the international community to support their efforts in condemning Israel and implementing boycotts, divestment, and sanctions directed toward Israel.
The effort has the support of more than 170 Palestinian organizations that have held demonstrations in Europe, South America, the U.S., and Africa. Hamas and its supporters have also advocated for the BDS movement.
"Every act of aggression against the Jewish people will only fortify our resolve to support their right to have a Jewish state in the land of their forefathers," Robertson said.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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