Joe Biden Believes Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Stops Soon, But Insists Israel Has The Right To Defend Itself

JAKARTA - US President Joe Biden has expressed his hope that the barrage of violence between Israelis and Palestinians will end soon.

That hope he expressed after having a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"My estimate and hope are this will stop soon, but Israel has a right to defend itself", Biden told reporters at the White House, quoted Antara from Reuters on Thursday, May 13.

Biden did not explain the reasoning behind his optimistic stance. He said his national security team had been in frequent contact with their partners in Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to try to resolve the conflict.

The violence occurred Friday last week, May 7 at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque at a time of heightened anger as Palestinians are likely to be evicted from their homes on land claimed by Jewish settlers. Clashes escalate on Monday, May 10.

The White House stated the talks between Biden and Netanyahu.

The statement said Biden condemned rocket attacks by Hamas and other groups against targets in Israel.

Biden also mentioned "expressing his unwavering support for Israel's security and Israel's legitimate right to defend itself and its people, while protecting civilians".

"He also conveyed the united States' encouragement for continued calm to be restored. He also believes that Jerusalem, a city of great importance to believers from around the world, must be a peaceful place", the statement read.

The two leaders agreed to continue to make contact in person in the coming days and that the teams of the two countries would hold frequent talks, the statement said.

Foreign Minister Antony Blinken, in telephone talks on Wednesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the "rocket attack and stressed that tensions need to be lowered and violence is currently stopped", State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.