2 Israelis killed as Israeli, Palestinian officials meet

February 26, 2023
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A Palestinian gunman on Sunday opened fire at an Israeli car in the occupied West Bank, killing two Israelis, senior politicians and settler leaders said. The shooting cast a shadow over a high-level meeting between Palestinian and Israeli delegations in neighboring Jordan meant to reduce surging violence ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The shooting came days after a deadly Israeli military raid in a nearby Palestinian city, killing 10 people. The military said it was searching for the attacker, who opened fire on a car on the West Bank’s main highway and fled.

In an initial move, Israeli Cabinet minister approved a proposal that would impose the death penalty on Palestinian militants involved in deadly attacks.

“On a difficult day in which two Israelis were murdered in a Palestinian terror attack, there is nothing more symbolic that passing the death penalty law on terrorists,” said Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s far-right national security minister.

West Bank settler leaders called on Israel to withdraw its delegation from the talks in Jordan and crack down on the Palestinians. Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, said no summit would stop Palestinians from fighting Israel.

Israel said the prime minister’s national security adviser as well as the chief of the Shin Bet domestic security agency were to attend the talks in neighboring Jordan. The head of the Palestinian intelligence services as well as advisers to President Mahmoud Abbas were expected to join.

The presence of top officials at the meeting, as well as delegations from Egypt, Jordan and the United States, underscored the severity of the crisis. It was also a rare high-level meeting between the sides, coming during a time of rising tensions and after the Palestinians cut security coordination with Israel over the violence.

Abbas’ office said the Palestinians would “stress the need to stop all Israeli unilateral actions.” An Israeli official said the meeting was meant to ease tensions ahead of Ramadan and came after an American request.

The meeting’s Palestinian attendees were confirmed by a Palestinian official. A Jordanian official also said the meeting was meant to stop “Israeli unilateral actions,” build confidence and lead to more comprehensive contacts between the sides. He said the meeting will take place in the Red Sea resort town of Aqaba, Jordan.

All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the meeting with the media.