JERUSALEM — Excessive-level Palestinian and Israeli delegations will meet in Jordan on Sunday, either side stated, in an try to scale back surging violence forward of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Nonetheless, bloodshed continued at the same time as information of the assembly emerged. The Israeli army stated there was a taking pictures within the northern occupied West Financial institution, which has seen skyrocketing tensions between Palestinian cities and Jewish settlements that the worldwide neighborhood broadly considers unlawful. Israeli emergency rescue companies stated two individuals had been significantly wounded and airlifted to hospital for therapy.

Israel stated the prime minister’s nationwide safety adviser in addition to the chief of the Shin Wager home safety company had been to attend the talks in neighboring Jordan. The pinnacle of the Palestinian intelligence companies in addition to advisers to President Mahmoud Abbas had been anticipated to affix.

The presence of prime officers on the assembly, in addition to delegations from Egypt, Jordan and the US, underscored the severity of the disaster. It was additionally a uncommon high-level assembly between the edges, coming throughout a time of rising tensions and after the Palestinians reduce safety coordination with Israel over the violence.

Abbas’ workplace stated the Palestinians would “stress the necessity to cease all Israeli unilateral actions.” An Israeli official stated the assembly was meant to ease tensions forward of Ramadan and got here after an American request.

The assembly’s Palestinian attendees had been confirmed by a Palestinian official. A Jordanian official additionally stated the assembly was meant to cease “Israeli unilateral actions,” construct confidence and result in extra complete contacts between the edges. He stated the assembly will happen within the Pink Sea resort city of Aqaba, Jordan.

All three officers spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to debate the assembly with the media.

Palestinians who oppose any official engagement with Israel stated they might protest the assembly, whereas the Islamic militant Hamas group, which guidelines the Gaza Strip criticized the assembly.

It’s not clear what the talks may obtain. Israel has pledged to proceed combating militants within the West Financial institution the place the Palestinian Authority typically has little management. Israel is also led by a far-right authorities with members that oppose concessions to the Palestinians and favor settlement development on occupied lands sought by the Palestinians for a future state. Final week, Israeli officers permitted the constructing of over 7,000 new settlement properties within the occupied West Financial institution, in keeping with activist teams that attended the planning assembly.

Violence between Israelis and Palestinians has surged since Israel stepped up raids throughout the West Financial institution following a spate of Palestinian assaults final spring. The bloodshed has spiked this yr, with greater than 60 Palestinians killed within the West Financial institution and east Jerusalem, in keeping with a tally by The Related Press. Palestinian assaults in opposition to Israelis have killed 11 individuals in 2023.

Israel says the raids are supposed to dismantle militant networks and thwart future assaults. The Palestinians say Israel is additional entrenching its 55-year open-ended occupation of lands they need for a future state, in addition to undermine their very own safety forces.

Ramadan this yr coincides with the weeklong Jewish vacation of Passover and worshippers from each faiths are anticipated to flock to the holy websites in Jerusalem’s Previous Metropolis, which are sometimes a flashpoint for violence between the edges. Clashes erupted at a key Jerusalem holy website final yr and tensions on the website helped spark an 11-day struggle with Hamas militants within the Gaza Strip in 2021.