Agencies-Gaza post
Guterres, PA president discuss Jerusalem tensions with Israel
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was concerned and discussed the ongoing flare-up of tensions around Jerusalem’s holy locations in separate calls Saturday with the Israeli prime minister and Palestinian president.
The UN said Guterres discussed in statements released after both calls, “Efforts to lower tensions, end provocations, and unilateral steps, and restore calm”.
Over 200 people, mostly Palestinians, have been injured over the last week in clashes in and around the Al-Aqsa compound, a holy site for both Muslims and Jews.
Palestinians have been outraged by a massive Israeli forces deployment and repeated visits by Jews to the holy site, which is managed through a tenuous power-sharing accord.
Both statements read, according to AFP Guterres said, “Reiterated that the status quo at the Holy Sites must be upheld and respected”.
The clashes at Al-Aqsa come amid a wave of deadly violence, which has flashed fears of a wider conflict.
The rocket was launched from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and Thursday prompted retaliatory strikes from Israel.
But after similar attacks from Gaza on Friday night and Saturday morning, Israeli forces decided not to launch counterattacks, instead of saying it would lock its only border to the enclave on Sunday.
