Fighting The President Of Palestine, US Foreign Minister Blinken Strengthens The Two-National Solutions And Against The Expansion Of Illegal Settlements

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Twitter/@SecBlinken)

JAKARTA - The United States Secretary of State underlined the importance of a two-state solution, opposing any steps that could hinder the realization of this, including the expansion of illegal settlements.

Foreign Minister Blinken stressed it is important to take steps to ease tensions in the West Bank.

"I appreciate President Abbas's determination to work in a responsible way during difficult times," he commented to the press after the Ramallah meeting.

"The US opposes any action taken by both parties that makes the solution of the two countries more difficult, including the expansion of settlements, destruction and evictions, interference with the historic status of holy places," said Foreign Minister Blinken.

Furthermore, he urged both sides to remain calm after last week's killings, in which Palestinians and Israelis were victims.

Seven people were killed outside of being killed by a Palestinian gunman, in the worst attacks on the Jerusalem area for years.

Earlier, Israeli attacks on a refugee camp in Jenin also resulted in the deaths of 10 Palestinians.

Foreign Minister Blinken said he had heard of "deep concerns" about the current conditions in Israel and the West Bank. He has asked senior officials to stay put to continue the talks.

A senior US State Department official said the remaining officials were Barbara Leaf, departmental high-ranking official for the Middle East, and Hady Amr, a US special representative for Palestinian affairs.

However, trust in the US as an intermediary for peace has faded.

"We can no longer trust US policies that only protect the occupation," said Deputy Chairman of the ruling Fatah Party Mahmoud Alou.

"The world is pressing us to withdraw our recent decision," he said, reporting local outlet Al Quds Al Ekhbariya, perhaps referring to the Palestinian Authority's decision to stop its security cooperation with Israel.

It is known that 35 Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli troops during January this year, the bloodiest month since 2015, while officials said attacks on Palestinian property by Israeli settlers were also increasing.

Concluded another productive trip to Israel and the West Bank, where I met with Israeli and Palestinian counterparts and leaders from civil society. We will continue to support the parties and all efforts to deescalate tensions. pic.twitter.com/lBKCB6KT31

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 31, 2023