Antony Blinken arrived in Israel and will meet Benjamin Netanyahu amid a wave of terror attacks

The head of American diplomacy Anthony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on Monday for discussions with Israelis and Palestinians, whom he already urged “not to inflame tensions” after a new spiral of violence.

This visit, the second stage of a whirlwind tour of the Middle East which started in Egypthad been planned for a long time but took a new turn with the recent bloody escalation of violence in the region.

“It is everyone’s responsibility to take steps to defuse tensions rather than inflame them,” the top US diplomat said after landing in Tel Aviv, ahead of his talks with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahuand the Palestinian president, Mahmud Abbas.

Earlier in Cairo Blinken had called “all parties to calm and defuse tensions”, during a press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shukriwho demonstrated for a “fair solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, more than ever stagnant.

Egypt is a historical mediator in it Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The first Arab country to sign peace with Israel in 1979, and a neighbor of the Gaza Stripunder an Israeli blockade for more than 15 years, Egypt receives both the Israeli heads of government and the leaders of the various Palestinian parties.

The Egyptian presidency assured this Monday that Cairo “has made efforts in recent days to try to control the increase in tensions” in the region.

The situation worsened abruptly in recent days amid a wave of terrorist attacks Palestinians.

after the recent anti-israeli attacksthe government of Benjamin Netanyahu announced a package of measures to punish the relatives of the perpetrators of these acts.

Israeli forces sealed off the family home of a Palestinian who killed seven people on Friday in front of a synagogue in East Jerusalem, the Israeli-occupied Palestinian part of the Holy City, and plan to destroy the home.

This attack occurred the day after a anti-terrorist operation Israeli in Jenin west bankin which ten terrorists of the group died Islamic Jihad involved in the preparation of attacks.

In response, there was rocket fire from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory followed by a bombardment by the army of the Jewish State against the Palestinian enclave controlled by the terrorist groups Hamas Y Islamic Jihad.

On Saturday, a Palestinian wounded two Israelis in East Jerusalem, and on Sunday, Israeli security guards killed a Palestinian terrorist in the West Bank. And on Monday Israeli forces killed a Palestinian terrorist in hebronin the south of west bank.

Blinken is scheduled to reiterate to Netanyahu on Monday and then to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday a call for restraint.

Blinken told the Saudi channel Al Arabiya that he wants to “talk with the Israeli government and with the leadership of the Palestinian Authority.”

“I want to hear what the people who are affected daily (by the conflict) have to say,” he said.

Yes ok USA Y Egypt They are important diplomatic actorsFor experts, the Secretary of State’s room for maneuver is limited.

Washington condemned the “heinous” attack on east jerusalem and urged Netanyahu and Abbas to “take urgent measures to reduce the tension”according to the State Department.

But in private, US officials make no secret of their frustration over escalation and the stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Although little progress is expected on the de-escalation front, analysts say Washington is trying to re-engage with Netanyahu.

Several officials have recently been to Jerusalem and some experts are talking about a possible visit by Netanyahu to the White House in February.

(With information from AFP)

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