JERUSALEM, 02/26/2023 (NH) — Senior Palestinian officials have traveled to Jordan to join Israel at a US-led security summit. Ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan, which begins March 22, delegations from Jordan, Egypt and the United States are trying to stem the unrest in the Holy Land and push ahead with the US plan to calm the situation in Judea and Samaria.
Almost all of those killed were terrorists
The meeting comes after a deadly anti-terrorist raid in Nablus and repeated rocket fire from Gaza. Eleven Palestinians were killed and another 100 injured in the latest army operation. The Israeli army reported that among the dead was a senior leader of the new terrorist group “Lion’s Den”. Husam A. not only sent the murderer of the soldier Ido Baruch, but also carried out shooting attacks and terrorist attacks. The other terrorists wanted were Islamic Jihad fighters who had carried out armed attacks on army units. According to Palestinian sources, three civilians died in the Israeli military action.
Israel will be represented at the meeting in Jordan by senior government officials including National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, Domestic Intelligence Chief Ronen Bar, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Disputed Territories Maj. Gen. Ghasan Alyan and Foreign Minister Ronen Levy.
The Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that the Palestinian Authority, or PA for short, had sent three representatives to the summit. The PA delegation is made up of PLO Executive Committee Secretary-General Hussein al-Sheikh, Head of General Intelligence Majed Faraj and Presidential Advisor Mahmoud Abbas Majdi al-Khaldi. Hanegbi and al-Sheikh had already met several times beforehand.
“Betrayal of the Blood of the Martyrs”
Some Palestinian groups have previously criticized the Palestinian Authority and called for the security summit to be boycotted. They labeled the meeting a “betrayal of the blood of martyrs” and declared that the meeting would only “bring shame on the Palestinian and Arab participants”. Furthermore, “compliance with American and Israeli orders provides a cover for the continuation of Israeli crimes”. However, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected a boycott of the summit.
Escalation to Ramadan feared
High-level political sources reported that the aim of the political meeting in Aqaba is to create trust and a path of dialogue that will calm the situation. There are no preconditions. Everyone understands that everything must be done to prevent further escalation.
The summit is expected to reiterate Israel’s announcements that it will not annex or authorize new construction in the disputed areas. In return, the Palestinians should undertake to stop the ongoing wave of violence against Israel.
Mahmoud Abbas has called for measures to improve the Palestinian Authority’s economic situation. The President hopes to strengthen his power and prevent an imminent collapse of the government. Furthermore, Israel is said to hold back with military operations in central cities in Judea and Samaria. Israeli anti-terrorist crackdowns often end in large numbers of Palestinian casualties. The dead fuel not only civilian anger towards Israel, but also towards the leadership in Ramallah.
Cover photo: Can serious unrest during the Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan, still be prevented? Photo: Jamal Awad/Flash90
