Israel and Palestinians agree to de-escalate tensions and ‘prevent more violence’ ahead of holy month
Palestinian and Israeli delegations met in Jordan on Sunday in an attempt to reduce tensions ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan which starts on 22 March.
In a joint statement, Israel agreed to halt new settlement approvals in the occupied West Bank for four to six months.
The representatives agreed to work towards a “just and lasting peace” and to meet again next month in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.
Egypt, Jordan and the United States, whose delegates also joined the meeting, said they consider the agreement “positive progress towards reactivating and deepening ties” between Israel and the Palestinians.
Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, welcomed the commitments made by both sides, adding: “We recognise that this meeting was a starting point and that there is much work to do over the coming weeks and months to build a stable and prosperous future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
An Israeli official said the parties will form a panel to examine restarting Israeli-Palestinian security coordination.
As the negotiators were meeting, a Palestinian gunman killed two Israeli brothers in the northern West Bank.
The army was looking for the attacker and Israel’s defence minister called for an increased military presence in the West Bank.
Escalating violence
It came days after an Israeli military raid in a nearby Palestinian city killed 10 Palestinians, most of them militants. Two men over 60 were killed in the raid and a 66-year-old man died from tear gas escalation.
Violence between Israelis and Palestinians has surged since a spate of Palestinian attacks last spring, with Israel retaliating by stepping up raids across the West Bank.
More than 60 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and east Jerusalem so far this year, according to the Associated Press.
Palestinian attacks against Israelis have killed 13 people this year.
Ramadan this year coincides with the weeklong Jewish holiday of Passover. Worshippers from both faiths are expected to flock to the holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City – which often become flashpoints for violence.
