Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi held talks with the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland on Sunday over violent clashes in Jerusalem.
Anti-Arab Israeli extremists, emboldened by the election of their allies to parliament, began a march over the weekend calling for violence against Arabs.
The move raised tensions, prompting cross-border attacks from Gaza and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police.
The talks focused on “targeted actions, stopping the provocative Israeli measures and attacks by extremist groups on Palestinians living in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, and restoring calm to the city,” state-run Petra news agency reported.
The week has been violent in Jerusalem with both Israeli Jews and Arabs reportedly attacking each other in well documented incidents https://t.co/AQ1giGz3bI by @RinaBassist
— Al-Monitor (@AlMonitor) April 22, 2021
Safadi urged every possible effort to stop these provocations, and condemned attacks by extremist groups on Palestinians, which have escalated since the beginning of Ramadan.
Safadi and Wennesland agreed to continue coordinating efforts to stop the situation from deteriorating.
Earlier Sunday, Safadi warned of the “grave” developments in the occupied city during a phone call with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki.
They called on the “international community to intervene and pressure the Israeli authorities into tackling the issue of extremist and racist organizations in Jerusalem’s Old City,” Petra said.
They also said that Israel must respect the sanctity of Ramadan by lifting all measures restricting Palestinian Muslims.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry condemned the acts of violence and incitement carried out by extremist groups during a call with Safadi.
#Israel | Violent clashes were reported between Arab and Jewish youth in downtown #Jerusalem on Wednesday night https://t.co/5DT9Yxm2wB pic.twitter.com/E3AUIEihYr
— Atlantide (@Atlantide4world) April 21, 2021
The two ministers said they would continue efforts with the international community to pressure Israel to shoulder its responsibilities in accordance with international law and to provide protection to the Palestinians.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the UN Security Council should take practical measures to put an end to the Israeli occupation and settlement and stop the violations and crimes against the Palestinian people, and those living in Jerusalem, in particular.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
