Israel and the Palestinians agreed to de-escalate tensions, and “prevent further violence”.
On Sunday, the Israeli and Palestinian delegations met in Jordan to try to ease tensions before Ramadan begins on March 22.
Israel and the Palestinian Authority agreed in a joint statement to stop new settlement approvals in occupied West Bank for a period of four to six more months.
Representatives agreed to work for a “just, lasting peace” and to meet up again in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt next month.
The delegates from the United States, Jordan, and Egypt also attended the meeting. They said that they considered the agreement to be a “positive step towards reactivating, deepening, and strengthening ties” between Israel, Jordan, and Palestine.
Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Advisor, said that he was happy with the promises made by both sides and added: “We recognize that this meeting was a beginning point and that there are many work ahead of us in the coming weeks and month to build a stable, prosperous future for Israelis as well as Palestinians.”
A senior Israeli official stated that the parties would form a panel to review restarting Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation.
Two brothers from Israel were killed by a Palestinian gunman as the negotiators met in the north West Bank.
The army was searching for the attacker, and Israel’s defense minister called for an increase in military presence on the West Bank.
Hamas is the militant group that holds the Gaza Strip and rejected the outcomes of the talks.
Dr Musa Abu Marzouq was a spokesperson for the group. He stated that the talks were held to stop the escalation in the following tracks. The first track is to delay the Israeli measures related to colonial settlements. The second track is to allow the PA more time control of the situation.
“If the PA is unable to control the situation, then the Israeli army could intervene. This move is not supported by us as it could lead to internal conflict in the Palestinian territories and because the PA was very weak when it entered these negotiations.
“In short, the PA should stand by the Palestinian people and condemn the Israeli crimes.”
Escalating violence
It happened days after an Israeli military attack in a nearby Palestinian town left 10 Palestinians dead, most of them militants. Two people aged over 60 died in the raid, while a 66 year-old died due to tear gas escalation.
Since a series of Palestinian attacks in spring last year, violence between Israelis has increased. Israel responded by intensifying its raids on the West Bank.
According to the Associated Press, more than 60 Palestinians were killed in West Bank and East Jerusalem this year.
13 Israelis were killed in Palestinian attacks on Israelis this year.
Ramadan falls on the same week as Passover, a Jewish holiday that lasts for a week. Both faiths’ worshippers are expected to gather at the holy sites of Jerusalem’s Old City, which can often be a flashpoint for violence.
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