While the bloodshed between Israel and Palestine continues, US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln, who visited the Middle East, urged an end to tensions and violence in the region.
Minister Blincoln, who visited Israel, the second destination of his Middle East tour, prevented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the 30th (local time) and held talks with Foreign Minister Eli Cohen.
Blincoln is the first time a high-ranking US official has visited Israel since Prime Minister Netanyahu took office again last month.
At a joint press conference held after meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Minister Blincoln mentioned a 'two-state solution', a way to resolve the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and said, "What keeps us away from that vision is Israel's long-term security and Jewish and It will harm the long-term identity of the democratic state."
"That's why we are now urging all parties to take urgent action to restore calm and ease tensions," said Minister Blincoln. "We hope that one day conditions will be created to restore security to both Israel and the Palestinians," he said.
Tensions have risen in recent days between Israel and the Palestinians due to armed conflict and mass shootings.
First of all, on the 26th, Israeli forces raided the settlement of Jenin in the occupied West Bank area of the Jordan River, clashed with Palestinian militants, and killed nine people, including civilians and militants. At least 20 people were injured in the process.
At least 27 Palestinians are known to have been killed by Israeli forces this year alone.
The next evening, a Palestinian youth opened fire on Jewish believers at a Jewish synagogue in northern East Jerusalem, killing seven people. On the 28th, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy shot and wounded two Israelis in East Jerusalem. In response to ongoing anti-Israel protests in the West Bank and other areas, the Israeli government is deregulating firearms support for citizens, while taking tough measures to deprive family members of terrorists of social security services and citizenship.
Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967 through the Third Middle East War and in 2002 erected a wall separating Israel from the West Bank. Since then, it has expanded the Jewish settlement in Xi'an. Currently, the settlement area accounts for 60% of the area of the Xi'an.
In addition, Minister Blincoln emphasized core democratic principles and institutions, including respect for human rights, equal administration of justice for all, equal rights for minorities, rule of law, free speech, and a strong civil society, saying, "The peoples of both countries have their voices heard and their Commitment to defending rights is one of the unique strengths of our democracy."
"Building consensus on new proposals is the most effective way to ensure they are accepted and sustained," he said. He also noted that the United States and Israel adhere to the mutual standards they have established for each other over decades and have been forthright and respectful when they agree and when they disagree.
This is interpreted as aimed at the Netanyahu government's attempt to weaken the Supreme Court's authority in the name of 'judicial reform'. [News 1]
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