Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke  with Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi on Israel-Palestine, Gaza conflict May 17, 2021. (Credit: U.S. Department of State) 

DIPLOMATIC  TIMES  STAFF  REPORT

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke  by telephone with Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi Monday.   The Secretary and the Foreign Minister expressed their concern about the violence in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza. Both agreed on the urgent need to restore calm and end the tragic loss of civilian life.  The Secretary highlighted the importance of the strong bilateral partnership with Tunisia. The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health said 212 people had been killed and 1,400 others injured since violence erupted last week. It is the most serious Israeli-Palestinian confrontation in years.  Sixty-one children and 36 women are among the dead, the ministry said. 

Blinken Calls on Jordanian, Tunisian foreign ministers to de-escalate hostilities in Gaza and Israel

Secretary of State Blinken continues to hold consultations over the phone with more important regional players in a bid to end the bloody conflict.  Blinken also spoke to his Jordanian counterpart on the Israeli-Palestine issue. During his call with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, who is also the country’s deputy premier, both sides expressed their shared concern about the violence in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza, according to a statement from the US Department of State.   Last week,  Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said that East Jerusalem was a “red line” for the kingdom, which has a peace treaty with Israel and maintains a custodial role in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Muslims as Al-Haram al-Sharif.

“Our focus right now is on ensuring that the escalation stops, and for that to happen we believe that all illegal, provocative measures against the peoples of Sheikh Jarrah or in terms of violations into al-Haram must stop,”

– Jordanian Foreign Minister Safadi said.