Security Council to hold session on J’lem violence
NEW YORK – The United Nations Security Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss ways to address the recent Israeli-Palestinian violence in Jerusalem.
The meeting was requested by Sweden, France and Egypt to “urgently discuss how calls for de-escalation in Jerusalem can be supported,” Sweden Ambassador to the Security Council Carl Skau wrote on Twitter.
On Tuesday, the council will also hold its monthly open debate on the Middle East.
On Saturday night, following weekend clashes in the Old City and a murderous terrorist attack at Halamish, the Mideast Quartet envoys also released a statement, saying violence deepens mistrust and is fundamentally incompatible with achieving a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The statement said that quartet envoys representing the US, Russia, EU and UN, “strongly condemn acts of terror, express their regret for all loss of innocent life caused by the violence, and hope for a speedy recovery to the wounded.”
Noting the sensitivities surrounding the Temple Mount and the need to ensure security, the statement called on all to “demonstrate maximum restraint, refrain from provocative actions and work towards de-escalating the situation.”
The quartet envoys, who met in Jerusalem earlier this month for the first time in over half a year, welcomed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assurances that the status quo at Jerusalem’s holy sites will be “upheld and respected.”
The envoy also called on Israel and Jordan “to work together to uphold the status quo, noting the special role of the Hashemite Kingdom as recognized in its peace treaty with Israel.”