Biden criticises 'failure to condemn' Palestinian attacks

US Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday implicitly criticised Palestinian leaders for not condemning attacks against Israelis, as an upsurge in violence marred his visit.

"The United States of America condemns these acts and condemns the failure to condemn these acts," Biden said after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The kind of violence we saw yesterday, the failure to condemn it, the rhetoric that incites that violence, the retribution that it generates, has to stop."

Six separate attacks have taken place shortly before or after Biden's arrival on Tuesday, including a stabbing spree on Tel Aviv's waterfront by a Palestinian who killed an American tourist and wounded 12 people.

Biden said his wife and grandchildren had been having dinner on the beach not far from the site of the stabbings.

"It just brings home that it happens and it can happen anywhere at any time," he said.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has repeatedly called for peaceful resistance against the Israeli occupation, but has not specifically condemned a wave of knife, gun and car-ramming attacks that erupted in October.

Islamist movement Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, often praises such attacks.

Many of the attackers have been young people, including teenagers, who appear to have been acting on their own.

Analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest.

Israel blames incitement by Palestinian leaders and media as a main cause of the violence.

Violence since October has killed 188 Palestinians and 28 Israelis.

Most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out attacks, Israeli authorities say.

Others were shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes or demonstrations.

Biden will travel to Palestinian political capital Ramallah in the West Bank later Wednesday to meet Abbas.
Source: AFP