Delegations from Israel and occupied Palestine, among others, are meeting for emergency consultations in the Jordanian port of Aqaba to discuss the flaring violence in the West Bank. It is rare for the two sides to interact on a high level.
According to Jordanian state media, a US security adviser, Brett McGurck, and people from the security services of Egypt and Jordan will also join. Participants fear, among other things, a further escalation after the start of the Islamic holy month, Ramadan, which begins on 22 March.
Massacres
The Israeli delegation is led by the head of internal intelligence, Ronen Bar, and the Palestinian one by the head of intelligence Majed Faraj. The party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that “despite the massacres perpetrated against the Palestinians, the Palestinian Authority has sent a delegation to see if the bloodshed can stop.” The Gaza Strip-based Hamas movement denounced the talks as a betrayal of the national cause, contempt for “martyrs’ blood” and an attempt to cover up crimes by the occupation forces, which Hamas said could lead to more crimes.
For a year now, the occupation forces have been on the offensive against the strongholds of Palestinian armed groups. An Israeli raid on Wednesday killed 11 Palestinians and wounded more than 80. It was the bloodiest raid since 2005. More than sixty Palestinians, including civilians, have been killed this year. The West Bank and East Jerusalem have been occupied since 1967 and increasingly larger parts have actually been annexed by settlers to Israel. East Jerusalem was annexed by Israel in 1980.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
