Kerry, Abbas discuss Palestinian-Israeli tension
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E-mail Xinhua, October 16, 2015
The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry phoned President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday for the second time in a week to discuss escalating tension in Israel and Palestine.
Spokesperson of the Palestinian Presidency Nabil Abu Rdeineh said in a statement published by the Palestinian official news agency Wafa that the conversation discussed current affairs and the continuation, adding that Kerry stressed the continuation of U.S. efforts to contain the current tension.
Abu Rdeineh said Kerry informed Abbas that he plans to visit the region soon.
Abbas stressed the need for the U.S. to conduct efforts with the Israeli side to stop settlers provocations at al-Aqsa mosque compound and the roads, Abu Rdeineh said.
Kerry had phoned Abbas on Saturday and had called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday to discuss a heated wave of violence between the Palestinians and Israel since the beginning of October.
Thirty-three Palestinians were killed since the begging of October, 22 of them in the West Bank and Jerusalem and 11 in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.
In return, Israeli death toll since Sept. 30 mounted to seven, and 92 others sustained injuries, 10 of which were reportedly critical cases.
The latest round of violence has caused more tension between the Palestinians and Israel despite the freeze in the peace process. The U.S.-brokered talks held in March 2014 has failed to create any progress.
Abbas said earlier that the provocations of settlers against the Palestinian people under the protection of the Israeli army is the main fuel of the current escalation.
Abbas had required the international community to intervene and protect the unarmed Palestinian people in light of the escalating attacks during his meeting with the Norwegian Envoy to the Middle East Peace Process.
Violence erupted mid September over the flashpoint holy site of al-Aqsa mosque compound.
Palestinians say Israel's measures on the ground aim to change and divide the compound by allowing Jewish prayers to be conducted, contrary to the status-quo.
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