Israeli and Palestinian officers met Sunday in Egypt for talks geared toward calming surging violence that has stoked fears of additional escalation as soon as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins later this week.
Also backed by the United States and Jordan, the assembly follows a Feb. 26 U.S.-brokered convention in Aqaba, the primary of its form in years, that secured Israeli and Palestinian pledges to de-escalate however was challenged by factions on each side and did not halt violence on the bottom.
The assembly within the resort metropolis of Sharm el-Sheikh “aims to support dialogue between the Palestinian and Israeli sides to work to stop unilateral actions and escalation, and break the existing cycle of violence and achieve calm,” a press release from Egypt’s Foreign Ministry mentioned.
This may “facilitate the creation of a climate suitable for the resumption of the peace process,” it added.
In earlier years, clashes have erupted between Israeli police and Palestinians round Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa mosque throughout Ramadan, which coincides this yr with Judaism’s Passover and Christian Easter.
The Israeli-occupied West Bank has seen a surge of confrontations in current months, with near-daily army raids and escalating settler violence amid a spate of assaults by Palestinians.
Over the previous yr, Israeli forces have made hundreds of arrests within the West Bank and killed greater than 200 Palestinians, together with members of armed teams and civilians.
More than 40 Israelis and three Ukrainians have died in alleged Palestinian assaults in the identical interval.
Israel pledged in Aqaba to halt discussions on new settlement models within the West Bank for 4 months and cease authorization of outposts for six months.
But the Israeli Prime Minister shortly appeared to downplay any dedication, saying there can be no freeze in an obvious nod to hardline members of his coalition authorities.
Last month, Netanyahu’s authorities approved 9 Jewish settler outposts within the West Bank and introduced a mass development of recent houses in established settlements. The transfer drew deep dismay from the United States.
The Palestinians purpose to determine an impartial state within the West Bank and Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital – territories Israel captured in a 1967 struggle.
But peace talks have been stalled since 2014 and Palestinians say Jewish settlement growth has undermined the probabilities of a viable state being established.
Visiting Israel earlier this month, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin instructed Israeli leaders to take steps to cut back tensions within the West Bank, saying Washington was firmly against any acts that might set off extra insecurity, together with settlement growth and inflammatory rhetoric.
Washington was particularly disturbed by settler violence in opposition to Palestinians, he mentioned.
Palestinian group Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip condemned the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority for participating within the assembly, noting it was being attended by the Israeli authorities “which is escalating its aggression against our people.”
But Hussein al-Sheikh of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organisation mentioned a Palestinian delegation can be in Sharm el-Sheikh “to defend the rights of our Palestinian people to freedom and independence, and to demand an end to this continuous Israeli aggression against us.”
Netanyahu’s workplace declined to touch upon the Sharm el-Sheikh assembly.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
