US National Security Advisor addresses Israeli peer on Jerusalem violence

WASHINGTON – US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke by phone on Sunday with Israeli National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat “to express the United States’ serious concerns about the situation in Jerusalem, including violent confrontations at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount during the last days of Ramadan,” the White House said in a statement.According to a readout of the call, “Sullivan highlighted recent engagements by senior US officials with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials and key regional stakeholders to press for steps to ensure calm, deescalate tensions, and denounce violence.” Sullivan also “reiterated the United States’ serious concerns about the potential evictions of Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood,” the statement reads. The two agreed that “the launching of rocket attacks and incendiary balloons from Gaza towards Israel is unacceptable and must be condemned.”“Sullivan encouraged the Israeli government to pursue appropriate measures to ensure calm during Jerusalem Day commemorations,” the statement reads.He also “expressed the administration’s commitment to Israel’s security and to supporting peace and stability throughout the Middle East, and assured Mr. Ben-Shabbat that the US will remain fully engaged in the days ahead to promote calm in Jerusalem,” the White House said.On Friday, the State Department Spokesperson, Ned Price, issued a statement saying that the United States is extremely concerned about ongoing confrontations in Jerusalem.

“There is no excuse for violence, but such bloodshed is especially disturbing now, coming as it does on the last days of Ramadan,” Price added. “This includes Friday’s attack on Israeli soldiers and reciprocal ‘price tag’ attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, which we condemn in no uncertain terms.”“We call on Israeli and Palestinian officials to act decisively to deescalate tensions and bring a halt to the violence,” Price added in his statement.
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