US Expresses Concern On Israel-Palestine Conflict, Continues To Support ‘2 State Solution’

The White House on Tuesday, expressed “serious concern” over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, summoning de-escalation of tensions between both countries by establishing two-state solution. The two-state solution to Israel- Palestine conflict envisions an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, west of the Jordan River.

White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, while speaking at her daily press briefing informed that President Biden has been updated with daily developments in Jerusalem and Gaza. He has been receiving updates from National Security Advisor. She clarified that the US stands against extremism that has inflicted violence and unrest in communities of both Israel and Palestine.

“Since last week, he has directed his team to engage intensively with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials, as well as leaders through out Middle East. His team is communicating a clear and consistent message in support of de-escalation, and that is our primary focus.”

She added, “we will also continue to support a two-state solution to the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. That is the only way to ensure the just and lasting peace that two peoples have struggled to achieve. We believe Palestinians and  Israelis desrerve equal measures of freedom, security dignity and prosperity,” Jen Psaki said.

Psaki also mentioned that US officials have spoken to their Israeli counterparts on how evictions of Palestinian families and demolition of their homes formulate contrary to their common interests. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Tuesday spoke to his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben Shabbat, where he explicitly denounced the ongoing rocket attacks by Hamas amongst other terrorist groups. It is worthy of mention that Sullivan also spoke with Egypt Government on the situation in Gaza and Jerusalem where they agreed to stay in “close touch” and discussed steps to restore calm. 

War-torn Gaza Strip

Ascending tensions between Israel and Palestine have led to frequent rocket attacks and air strikes from both sides. Three people have been killed in rocket strikes from Gaza on Tel Aviv. On Tuesday, Hamas said that they fired 137 rockets in 5 minutes in an apparent attempt to overwhelm the Iron Dome missile defense system. Over 630 rockets were fired from Israel from Monday through Tuesday noon. 200 of which were intercepted by Iron Dome missile defense batteries while 150 others failed targets. 

Israeli bombing raids across Gaza from Monday have killed no less than 28 people, including 10 children, and injured minimum 152 individuals more, CNN reported citing Palestinian health officials. On the other hand, Israeli military claimed to have killed more than 15militants. 

Over 300 Palestinians have been injured in the riots, several of them seriously hurt by rubber-tipped bullets in the head, eye and jaw. 

Why do tensions in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood exist?

Tensions have heightened in recent days in Jerusalem as a legal battle with Israeli settlers put dozens of Palestinians at risk of eviction. Both Israeli settlers and Palestinians claim ownership in Sheikh Jarrah. In recent years, forced evictions of Palestinian homes have repeatedly led to protests.

An Israeli court has ordered Palestinian families to leave, as the property was owned by a Jewish religious association before 1948. A 1970 Israeli law allows Jews to reclaim property in East Jerusalem from before it fell into Jordanian hands; no similar law exists for Palestinians. Over 70 families are threatened with eviction and could be replaced by right-wing Jewish nationalists, in a legal battle being waged in courts. 

(With agency inputs)