Israel commits to temporary settlement freeze – Politics

After weeks of recurring outbreaks of violence with numerous deaths Israel and the Palestinian Authority find ways to end the escalation. Both sides agreed on a mechanism to curb the violence during negotiations in Egypt on Sunday. It is scheduled to take effect this week at the beginning of the month of Ramadan, holy for Muslims.

A statement said both Israelis and Palestinians must prevent any actions that would disturb the peace of the holy sites in Jerusalem during Ramadan. Both sides reiterated the need for de-escalation and confirmed commitments made back in February. These include Israel’s pledge to refrain from considering new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank for four months and to suspend approval of existing Jewish settler outposts for six months.

Representatives of the USA, Egypt and Jordan also took part in the negotiations. The Palestinian Authority rules only part of the Palestinian territories. The radical Islamic group Hamas is in charge of the Gaza Strip. In addition, groups of militants act independently of the Palestinian Authority.

In the West Bank, which the Palestinians claim for the formation of their own state, violent clashes between Palestinians, Jewish settlers and Israeli security forces have increased in recent months. Police and army raids almost every day. Palestinians have repeatedly attacked settlers, soldiers and other Israelis. The nationalist-religious government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to expand the Jewish settlements in the West Bank. In addition, some members of the government reject the formation of a Palestinian state.

According to medics, an Israeli was seriously injured in a suspected Palestinian attack in the West Bank on Sunday. A woman suffered a shock, said the Magen David Adom ambulance service. According to media reports, the vehicle with two Israelis was shot at in the small Palestinian town of Huwara – not far from where two Israeli brothers were killed in the attack by a Palestinian in the town of Huwara last month. Then there were serious riots by Israeli settlers, who set houses, shops and cars on fire.