Antony Blinken urges Israeli and Palestinian leaders to 'end the cycle of violence'
April 20, 2022, 6:38 am

Antony Blinken urges Israeli and Palestinian leaders to 'end the cycle of violence'

Antony Blinken/Facebook page

The Arab News reported, citing the AFP, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israeli and Palestinian leaders Tuesday to “end the cycle of violence” after a sharp escalation in tensions between the two sides in recent days.

The State Department said, in separate calls with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Blinken stressed “the importance of Israelis and Palestinians working to end the cycle of violence in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza by exercising restraint and refraining from actions that escalate tensions."

Lapid said he updated the top US diplomat on Tuesday about Israel’s efforts to ensure freedom of worship in Jerusalem, after clashes with Israeli riot police on Friday inside the Al Aqsa mosque compound in which at least 152 Palestinians were wounded.

Lapid blamed “hundreds of Islamic extremists” for rioting and spreading disinformation that inflame tensions.

Antony Blinken urges Israeli and Palestinian leaders Tuesday to “end the cycle of violence” (Photo: Pixabay)

He said on Twitter: “I told @SecBlinken that Israel will not tolerate calls in support of violence, and I emphasized the need for international support for returning calm to Jerusalem."

Palestinian news agency WAFA reported, Abbas told Blinken that “brutal attacks” by Israeli forces and settlers on the mosque compound and Israeli incursions into Palestinian cities and villages “will lead to dire and unbearable consequences.”

Israeli air strikes hit Gaza in response to rocket fire amid soaring tensions

Israeli security forces have been on high alert after a series of deadly Arab street attacks throughout the country over the past two weeks. Confrontations at the Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem’s walled Old City pose the risk of sparking a slide back into a broader conflagration like last year’s Gaza war.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said, on Monday (Apr 18), Blinken talked with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi by phone and discussed the importance of Israelis and Palestinians working to end the violence and refraining from escalatory actions.

Price said in a statement Tuesday (Apr 19): “Secretary Blinken emphasized the importance of upholding the historic status quo at the Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount, and appreciation for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s special role as custodian of Muslim holy places in Jerusalem."

Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli raid over Al-Aqsa Mosque and attack on Palestinian worshippers

State media said, Jordan’s King Abdullah said Israel’s “unilateral” moves against Muslim worshippers at Al Aqsa mosque undermined the prospects for peace in the region.

The monarch, in a call with the United Nations secretary general on Monday, blamed Israel for “provocative acts” in the mosque compound that violated “the legal and historic status quo” of the Muslim holy shrines.

King Abdullah’s Hashemite monarchy has been custodian of the sites since 1924, paying for their upkeep and deriving part of its legitimacy from the role.

Palestine condemns Israel for approving settlement construction in West Bank

The report noted that tensions this year have been heightened in part by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan coinciding with the Jewish celebration of Passover.

Source: arabnews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”