AMMAN —
Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs, Barbara Leaf, embarked on a visit to the Palestinian territories this month
with the aim of consolidating calm in the region, a local media outlet
reported.
اضافة اعلان
In the coming days, Leaf will assess the progress made since
the Aqaba and Sharm El-Sheikh summits, engaging with Palestinian, Israeli,
Jordanian, and Egyptian officials to explore the way forward, according to a
Western diplomat who spoke on the condition of anonymity to Al-Ain News.
Despite some advances achieved since the Aqaba and Sharm
El-Sheikh meetings, factors contributing to tension still persist,
necessitating further efforts from both Israeli and Palestinian parties to
restore normalcy, the diplomat added.
Settlement activities in the Palestinian territories remain
a pressing concern, with potential consequences for the overall situation and
the future of the two-State solution.
Five meetings involving Palestinian, Israeli, Jordanian, and
Egyptian representatives were held in Aqaba, Jordan, and Sharm El-Sheikh,
Egypt, prior to the last Ramadan in an effort to maintain calm and prevent a
deteriorating situation.
Visit details
In line with these ongoing diplomatic efforts, the US Department
of State announced that Assistant Secretary Leaf will visit Israel, the West
Bank, and Jordan during her trip.
During her visit, Leaf plans to engage with senior Israeli
political and military leaders in Jerusalem, discussing topics of mutual interest,
such as “enhancing Israel's integration into the Middle East and addressing
Iran's destabilizing behavior”.
She will also meet with senior Palestinian leaders in
Ramallah to discuss priority issues in US-Palestinian relations, including
American efforts in support of the Palestinian people. Furthermore, Leaf will
hold discussions with senior Jordanian officials in Amman to address common
bilateral and regional priorities.
Israeli settlement expansion
Coinciding with the visit is the Israeli government's
intention to approve the construction of thousands of settlement units in the
Palestinian territories, a move that sparked outrage from Palestinian
authorities.
Palestinians said that such resolutions violate Israel's
commitment in Aqaba and Sharm El-Sheikh to freeze settlement activities for six
months.
The US has repeatedly urged Israel to refrain from
settlement decisions that could adversely impact the overall situation and the
prospects of a two-state solution.
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