Status: 03/19/2023 11:58 a.m
Israelis and Palestinians are meeting in Egypt today – with envoys from the USA and Jordan. Another attempt to contain the recently increased tensions – shortly before the start of the Muslim month of fasting.
After the recent wave of violence in the West Bank and in view of the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan, Egypt has initiated talks on the Middle East conflict. Today’s meeting in the seaside resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, with the participation of the USA and Jordan, is intended to promote dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, according to the Foreign Ministry in Cairo. Representatives of Israel and the Palestinians will also take part.
It was said that the spiral of violence should be broken and the escalation stopped. This could help create the conditions for a 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 the five sides.
hardened fronts
Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh tweeted that the meeting was meant to “call for an end to this ongoing 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.
At the end of February, Palestinians and Israelis in Akaba, Jordan, drew closer in talks of a kind that hadn’t taken place in years. They agreed to avoid any further escalation. But the violence could not be stopped.
Ramadan as a sensitive phase
Even after the agreement, clashes continued in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The territory that the Palestinians claim for the establishment of their own state had been the scene of violent clashes between Palestinians, Jewish settlers and Israeli security forces for months beforehand.
In recent years, there have been repeated clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police officers in Jerusalem during the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan.