The United States has extremely concerned by the events of this weekend and the continuing violence in Israel and the West Bank that led to death of many, leaving scores injured.
In a Press Briefing on Monday, the State Department Spokesman, Ned Price who made this known, said United States condemn the horrific killing of two Israeli brothers near Nablus and the killing of an Israeli near Jericho, who was also an American citizen.
While expressing its deepest condolences to all of the victims’ families and their loved ones, United States also condemned widescale, indiscriminate violence by settlers against Palestinian civilians following the killing.
According to him, “The attacks reportedly led to the death of one Palestinian man, more than 300 residents injured – four seriously – and the torching of an estimated 30 Palestinian homes and cars.
These actions are completely unacceptable. The United States extends its deepest condolences to those affected by this violence”, State Department Spokesman added.
He further said United States appreciated Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Herzog’s statements calling for a cessation of this vigilante violence.
“We expect the Israeli Government to ensure full accountability and legal prosecution of those responsible for these attacks, in addition to compensation for the lost homes and property.
“Accountability and justice should be pursued with equal rigor in all cases of extremist violence, and equal resources dedicated to prevent such attacks and bring those responsible to justice.
Price explained that these events underscored the fragility of the situation in the West Bank and the urgent need for increased cooperation to prevent further violence.
“That is exactly why the United States joined Israel, the Palestinians, Jordan, and Egypt in Aqaba. It is imperative that Israel and the Palestinians work together to de-escalate tensions and to restore calm.
“The United States and our regional partners will continue to work with the parties to advance commitments made in Aqaba, and in the meantime we call on everyone to refrain from actions and rhetoric that further inflame tensions.
As we’ve said repeatedly, Israelis and Palestinians equally deserve to live in safety and security”, the Spokesman for States Department, Ned Price concluded.
It was reported that Israeli settlers carried out arson attacks on Palestinian houses in Nablus hours after Israeli and Palestinian officials pledged to implement measures to de-escalate tensions amid a surge in violence in the occupied West Bank.
In a joint statement at the end of the meeting in the Red Sea resort of Aqaba in Jordan on Sunday, Israeli and Palestinian officials said that they would work closely to prevent “further violence” and would work towards “de-escalation on the ground”.
Israel was committed to stop “discussing setting up any new settlement units for four months and stop approving any new settlements for six months”, a joint statement said.
After “thorough and frank discussions”, the Palestinian and Israeli sides “reaffirmed the need to commit to de-escalation on the ground and to prevent further violence”, it said.
The joint statement came at the end of a meeting also attended by the United States, Egyptian, Jordanian officials amid growing concerns over an escalation of violence in run-up to the holy Muslim month of Ramadan that begins in late March.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council will convene an emergency session today, in light of deadly violence that took place over the weekend in the northern West Bank town of Huwara, a senior diplomat for a country on the panel told The Times of Israel.
Which will be the Security Council’s third such urgent meeting since the establishment of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new right- religious government two months ago.
The previous sessions were called after far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir visited the flashpoint Temple Mount, and after a deadly IDF raid in the Palestinian city of Jenin.
These meetings can be accompanied by a vote on a resolution or the issuing of a joint statement by council members, though such steps are rare. Neither initiative was being readied as of late Monday morning, according to a second UN diplomat familiar with the matter.
On Sunday morning, a Palestinian gunman opened fire on a vehicle with Israeli license plates that was making its way through the town, killing brothers Hallel and Yagel Yaniv.
In response to the attack, hundreds of settler youth staged an evening rally in the city that descended into a violent rampage.
Amid the rioting, 37-year-old Sameh Aqtash was killed and four other Palestinians were badly injured, while dozens of homes and vehicles were torched according to report.
