Kerry lays out steps to ease Israeli-Palestinian strife

Updated: 2015-10-25 10:45

(Agencies)

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Kerry lays out steps to ease Israeli-Palestinian strife

US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) holds a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at his residence in Amman, October 24, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Kerry said that Israeli and Jordanian officials would meet soon to work out the details of the video monitoring.

Authorities from both Israel and the Jordanian waqf, or Islamic trust, that administers the site, will also meet shortly "to strengthen security arrangements" at the compound, he said. Netanyahu said Israel welcomed greater coordination with the waqf.

Violence has flared in Israel, Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip in recent weeks, in part triggered by Palestinians' anger over what they see as Jewish encroachment on the compound.

At least 52 Palestinians, half of whom Israel says were assailants, have been shot dead by Israelis in the West Bank and Gaza since Oct 1. Nine Israelis have been stabbed or shot dead by Palestinians.

In the latest incident, a Palestinian was shot dead on Saturday after he tried to stab an Israeli security guard at a crossing between the West Bank and Israel, Israeli police said.

"Today I hope we can begin to turn the page on this very difficult period," Kerry said, standing beside Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, who welcomed his announcements.

Netanyahu said Israel respected the "importance of the special role" played by Jordan as reflected in the 1994 peace treaty between the two countries and of the "historical role" of Jordan's King Abdullah as custodian of the site.

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