US Appeals to Israel and PA to Cool Off

The United States is appealing to Israel and the Palestinian Authority to restrain from stoking the coals as riots threaten to escalate violence throughout Israel, less than a month before President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit.

US State Dept. deputy spokesman Patrick Ventrell told reporters on Monday, “We call on Israelis and Palestinians to exercise maximum restraint as the situation on the West Bank remains tense. We’re also conveying that message directly to Israeli and Palestinian officials.

“All parties should seriously consider the consequences of their actions, particularly at this very difficult moment. We urge both Palestinians and Israelis not only to refrain from provocative actions that could destabilize conditions on the ground, but to consider positive steps to reestablish trust and deescalate the current tensions.”

Ventrell said that Israel should examine its use of administrative detentions while the Palestinian Authority should not engage in “inflammatory rhetoric.”