Status: 03/19/2023 11:58 am
Israelis and Palestinians are meeting in Egypt today – with envoys from the US and Jordan. Another attempt to contain recently heightened tensions – just before the start of the Muslim month of fasting.
Following the recent wave of violence in the West Bank and in view of the Muslim fasting month, Ramadan, Egypt has started negotiations on the conflict in the Middle East. Today’s meeting in the resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, with the participation of the United States and Jordan, aims to promote dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, according to the Itamaraty in Cairo. Representatives of Israel and the Palestinians will also participate.
It was said that the spiral of violence must be broken and the escalation stopped. This could help create the conditions for the resumption of the peace process. Ahmed Abu Zaid, a spokesman for Egypt’s foreign ministry, said the meeting would be attended by “senior politicians and security officials” from all five sides.
hardened fronts
Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh tweeted that the meeting was intended to “call for an end to this continued Israeli aggression against us”. According to the AP news agency, there was no immediate comment from Israel on the appointment. Israeli media also reported the participation of high-ranking security officials.
In late February, Palestinians and Israelis in Akaba, Jordan, came together in conversations the likes of which had not taken place in years. They agreed to avoid any aggravation. But the violence could not be contained.
Ramadan as a sensitive phase
Even after the agreement, clashes continued in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The territory that Palestinians claim for the establishment of their own state has been the scene of violent clashes between Palestinians, Jewish settlers and Israeli security forces for months before.
In recent years, there have been repeated clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police in Jerusalem during the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan.