JERUSALEM: US Secretary of State Anthony Blanken will meet with Palestinian leaders on Tuesday at their last stop. A tour of the Middle East The aim is to prevent the worst outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian violence in years.
After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu On Monday, Blanken urged both sides to take “immediate steps” to ease tensions and said Washington wanted “Israelis and Palestinians alike” to work to “restore a sense of security.” will do
Israel is reeling from an attack on Friday that killed seven civilians outside a synagogue in East Jerusalem, a day after 10 Palestinians were martyred in the deadliest military raid in years in the occupied West Bank. was
After landing in Israel on Monday, Blanken also criticized Palestinians for celebrating the funeral attack, saying: “We condemn all those who celebrate … acts of terrorism, which take innocent lives. are.”
He was also seen punishing Israelis responsible for dozens of incidents of retaliatory violence following Friday’s shooting in an East Jerusalem settlement.
He said that retaliatory acts of violence against citizens are never justified.
Since the beginning of the year, the conflict has claimed the lives of 35 Palestinian adults and children, including attackers, militants and civilians.
During the same period, six Israeli citizens, including a child, and one Ukrainian citizen have been killed. All were shot dead in an attack outside the synagogue on Friday.
‘Dangerous Development’
Blanken is scheduled to hold talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who announced last week that his Palestinian Authority was scaling back security coordination with Israel after the deadly West Bank attack.
Blanken is expected to urge the PA to continue working with Israel to prevent militant attacks.
Blankenship, whose long-planned visit has taken on a new urgency amid rising violence, will also meet with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shatia.
The deadly East Jerusalem shooting was the deadliest operation by Israeli forces in the West Bank in years, which killed 10 people on Thursday in the densely populated Jenin refugee camp. Israel said its forces targeted Islamic Jihad activists.
The army later hit targets in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip in response to rocket fire from the Palestinian territory.
The group said the visit to Blankenship “reaffirms full support and partnership with the (Israeli) occupation”.
Netanyahu’s cabinet has decided to punish “terrorist families who support terrorism” with house demolitions and other measures.
His government is also planning to revoke the rights to social security benefits for relatives of the attackers, and is taking steps to make it easier for Israeli citizens to obtain firearms permits.
‘death spiral’
Blanken made an initial stop in Egypt, where he met with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, “appreciating Egypt’s important role in promoting stability in the region.”
Diplomats and intelligence services from Egypt – a major recipient of US military aid – are regularly asked to mediate between Israelis and Palestinians.
Blanken’s visit to Israel is part of the Biden administration’s efforts to speed up talks with Netanyahu, who had a strained relationship with former Democratic President Barack Obama.
He also reiterated US support for a Palestinian state, which some expect will continue under a new Israeli government.
Netanyahu, a veteran leader, returned to power late last year at the head of the most right-wing government in Israel’s history.
Under Netanyahu’s previous administration, Israel established relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, brokered by former President Donald Trump.
Expanding those agreements and “ultimately, working to close the file on the Arab-Israeli conflict, I think will also help us achieve a viable solution with our Palestinian neighbors,” Netanyahu said Monday. .