U.S. Sec. of State John Kerry confirmed Sunday that he'd be meeting the Israeli Prime minister and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas this week, according to The Wall Street Journal. Kerry, who spoke in Paris during a UNESCO launch, hopes to help ease tensions in the latest Israeli-Palestinian flare up of violence.
"Later this week I will meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu because he will be in Germany...and then I will go to the region, I will meet with President Abbas, I will meet King Abdullah [of Jordan] and others and in between I will have some key meetings on the subject of Syria with critical players," said Kerry.
Seven Israelis have died in stabbing attacks around the occupied East Jerusalem and West Bank, while over 40 Palestinians have lost their lives, The Huffington Post reported. Most of the dead Palestinians are youths who Israeli police say were shot as they attempted to stab Israeli citizens or law enforcement officers.
The latest flare up in violence was triggered by Palestinians suspecting that Israel wanted to give Jews more access to the Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, as Muslims call it. The temple is known as the Temple Mount in Israel.
Kerry is expected to meet with Netanyahu Thursday in Germany before proceeding to meet Abbas in Jordan. Kerry will later meet King Abdullah of Jordan, according to Fox News.
Israel insists that it has no intention of changing or altering the status quo of the mosque. Presently, Jews can only visit the compound but are not allowed to pray there.
