The State Department denied Palestinian claims that a scheduled meeting between Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators was canceled over clashes in a refugee camp that left three Palestinians dead.
The clashes in the Kalandiya refugee camp, which also injured 15, took place on Aug. 26. The meeting reportedly had been scheduled for that evening in the West Bank city of Jericho.
“I can assure you that no meetings have been canceled,” State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said during a briefing that day. “The parties are engaged in serious and sustained negotiations.”
Border Police troops dressed as civilians entered the camp to arrest a terror suspect, according to reports, and camp residents responded by surrounding and attacking the troops with rocks and firebombs. The Border Police put the number of Palestinian attackers at 1,500; the Palestinian Ma’an news agency said there were “dozens.”
Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah said in a statement, “Such a crime proves the need for urgent and effective international protection for our people.”
On Aug. 24 in Ramallah, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he is prepared to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in order to achieve peace.
“There is nothing at all that prevents a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu at the right time for us to meet or at a time we need to meet,” Abbas said at a news conference with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius following a meeting between the two leaders. — jta