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The European Union’s new foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini warned that a new wave of Palestinian-Israeli violence could kick off if peace efforts between the two remain deadlocked.
Speaking in Jerusalem, where she was on her first trip since taking up the post, Mogherini said that there needs to be a real “urgency” to advance the stagnant peace process.
“The risk is that if we do not move forward on the political track, we will go back… again to violence. That’s why I see the urgency in moving forward”, Mogherini said.
She also flagged Israeli settlement blocs on occupied Palestinian territory, calling them an “obstacle” to the peace process.
“New settlements are an obstacle, as we see, but we also see that there might be a political will… to resume the talks and specially (to) make sure that these talks bring to results”, she said.
After meeting with Netanyahu, the two spoke to the press at a joint conference, standing side-by-side with grim looks on their faces.
“I reject the fictitious claim that the root of the continuous conflict is this or that settlement”, Netanyahu said referring to international criticism of settlement blocs in Jerusalem.
“Jerusalem is our capital and as such is not a settlement”, he added.
Furthermore, a spokesman for Netanyahu said that the Israeli premier met with security officials to discuss measures to restore order in Jerusalem.
“Among those discussed was the sealing or demolition of terrorists’ homes”, he said.
Israel’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef asked Israelis to stop trying to enter parts of the al-Aqsa compound, in order to stop the situation from escalating further.
“We need to stop this, only then will the blood of the people of Israel not be spilt”, he said.