Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Wednesday condemned “violence in all its forms” in a meeting with visiting Israeli President Isaac Herzog, following a spate of deadly attacks in the Jewish state. A total of 11 people have been killed in three attacks in the space of a week in Israel, the latest of them on Tuesday. Abdullah expressed “Jordan’s condemnation of violence in all its forms, and the resulting loss of more innocent” lives, a palace statement said.
He pointed to “the regretable attacks that have targeted civilians from both sides, including yesterday’s attack”, warning it was “the Israelis and Palestinians who pay the price”. “This conflict has lasted a long time, and the resulting violence continues to cause much pain and offers a fertile ground for extremism,” he said.
Four civilians and a policeman were killed on Tuesday when a Palestinian assailant opened fire at passers-by in the town of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv. Ahead of Ramadan, the Israeli president said that “we have to move towards allowing the performance of religious rites peacefully”, adding that “this is what we are discussing with Jordan”, according to the palace.