Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday outlined plans for tough new security measures against Palestinians in the West Bank after two Israelis were killed in stabbing attacks in less than 24 hours.
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On November 29, 2012, the state of Palestine joined the United Nations as an observer member, 136 countries now recognize this country, and its national flag flows alongside the rest of the members of the organization, he said.
Arriving with scant hopes for a major breakthrough, Kerry discussed with Netanyahu ways of calming tensions and planned to do the same later in the day with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah.
Israel says the current spate of violence is due to a Palestinian campaign of lies and incitement surrounding the holy site, which is revered by Muslims and Jews.
Numerous Palestinians killed have been alleged attackers, and a large number of them have been young people. He ran back towards the first teen, who was lying motionless on the ground, and fired at her again. Others have been killed during clashes with Israeli security forces.
Israeli soldiers stand guard next to Israeli commuters at a bus station where a Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli security forces, near the Gush Etzion block of settlements south of occupied Jerusalem in the West Bank.
By contrast, Kerry’s statement after the attacks in Paris, differentiating between those attacks and those that targeted a kosher deli and Charlie Hebdo in January, rankled pro-Israel supporters.
Soon after Mr Kerry spoke, a Palestinian driver rammed into Israeli security personnel at a checkpoint in the north of the occupied West Bank, injuring four people, the Israeli military said.
Three Palestinian attackers – including a teenage girl – and an Israeli soldier died in violence on Monday. The script is well-trodden, with Kerry likely to ask both sides to avoid provocative actions. For the Israelis, that means holding off on construction of new settlements in lands the Palestinians seek for their future state.
Islamic Jihad movement accused Kerry in a statement of attempting to “curb the Palestinian Intifada”, in reference to the flaring violence.
Palestinians have been threatening to stop the security coordination as a part of measures to reviewing the Palestinian-Israeli relations in protest of Israel’s non-abidance by the signed agreements as well as the frozen peace talks.
Israel reportedly is also considering deporting from the West Bank to Gaza Palestinians who are believed to be inciting violence against the Jewish state. Other deadly terror attacks have taken place at the junction in recent months. But the rising death toll seems, for now, to have created an environment that makes a similar commitment by President Barack Obama unlikely.
In Abu Dhabi on Monday, Kerry said Washington had ideas “for how things could proceed” to try to stem the violence.
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A 27-year-old bystander was lightly wounded in the attack, apparently from bullet shrapnel, police said, according to AP. “People aren’t in the mood for concessions”.
