Kerry: Settlement growth led to violence,
State Department: Israelis responsible for ‘acts of terrorism’ too • White House condemns loss of life
WASHINGTON – A “massive increase in settlements” built by Israel in recent years has led to the “frustration” and “violence” now stoking its decades-old conflict with the Palestinians, US Secretary of State John Kerry said at Harvard University.
In his most extensive comments yet on the conflict, Kerry on Tuesday night said a permanent resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was becoming increasingly elusive, aggravating tensions on the ground.
“What’s happening is that, unless we get going, a twostate solution could conceivably be stolen from everything,” he said.
He therefore plans on visiting the region, he added. Without announcing a date, the secretary said he would make the trip “as appropriate” in the near future.
“We’re working on trying to calm things down,” Kerry added. He held phone calls with Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas over the weekend.
State Department spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday that the secretary was not affixing blame when he said a “massive increase in settlements” over the past year had been followed by the current outbreak of violence.
Kirby said Kerry had been consistent in “not trying to affix... blame for the recent violence” but had discussed “the challenges that are posed on both sides by this absence of progress towards a twostate solution.”
Kirby noted that Kerry had been “unequivocal” in condemning Palestinian attacks on Israelis. But he also said the department had reviewed the stabbing last week of four Arab men in Dimona by an Israeli Jew and considered it an “act of terrorism” as well.
Kerry has “highlighted our concern that current trends on the ground, including this violence, as well as ongoing settlement activity, are imperiling the viability of eventually getting to a two- state solution,” Kirby said.
The White House said on Wednesday that it has “deep concerns” about violence in Israel and condemns the loss of any innocent life, whether it be Israeli or Palestinian.
“We continue to urge all side to take affirmative steps to restore calm and prevent actions that would further escalate tensions in the region,” said spokesman Josh Earnest.
Reuters contributed to this report.