US: Israeli-Palestinian violence is horrific and must stop

The United States “remains deeply concerned by the worsening situation in the West Bank” and calls on Israel and the Palestinians to do everything possible to contain the situation, State Department Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters in Washington on Friday.

He noted that in the last month alone “at least 21 Palestinians, including at least seven children, and four Israelis have been killed.”

He added, “this is horrific, and it must stop.”

Patel exclaims that “the deaths of soldiers and children alike are unacceptable.”
“the deaths of soldiers and children alike are unacceptable.”

Vedant Patel

The United States calls “on all parties to do everything in their power to de-escalate the situation, which we believe is in the interest of Israelis and Palestinians but also the region more broadly,” he said.

Palestinian youth clash with Israeli border police officers in the West Bank city of Hebron, October 12, 2022. (credit: WISAM HASHLAMOUN/FLASH90)

This includes, Patel explained, “preventing all forms of violent incitement.”

The Biden administration, he stated, urges “the parties themselves to contain the violence. While the US and other international partners stand ready to help, we can’t substitute that for vital engagement between the parties to mitigate the conflict.”

The European Union’s response

The European Union’s delegation in Jerusalem said it was “very concerned about the level of violence in East Jerusalem and across the West Bank, which has already claimed too many lives. The rising violence not only results in tragic loss of lives, but also fuels tensions and animosity.

“All parties should take immediate steps to reduce tensions and prevent a further escalation,” it tweeted.