Palestinian presence at Mideast meeting not a negotiation, says US

Palestinian officials have been invited to a US conference on the Middle East hosted by Poland next week where White House senior adviser Jared Kushner will discuss plans for peace between the Palestinians and Israelis, a senior US official said on Friday.

The senior administration official told reporters the event was “not a negotiation but a discussion” on Middle East peace.

“As noted we have asked the Palestinian Authority to send representatives to this event,” the official said. Warsaw,” he added. The State Department has said more than 40 countries will attended the conference in Warsaw from Feb. 12 to 14.

Palestinians killed

Two Palestinian teenagers were killed by Israeli fire on Friday during clashes along the Gaza border, the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run enclave said.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have for nearly a year gathered at least weekly along the heavily fortified frontier for often-violent protests, calling on Israel to end its blockade of the enclave.

Israel says it is protecting its borders and accuses Hamas of orchestrating the protests.

Hassan Shalabi, 14, “was killed by Israeli occupation live fire to the chest east of Khan Yunis” in the southern Gaza, the ministry said.

It announced the death of 18-year- old Hamza Ishtawi shortly after, saying he was shot in the neck during similar clashes east of Gaza City.

Another 17 Palestinians were shot and wounded at different protest sites along the border, the ministry added.

The Israeli army declined to comment on the deaths, but said 6,700 “rioters and demonstrators” had been protesting along the frontier.