BICOM

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to travel to Germany today where he is scheduled to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry, in order to discuss the wave of violence targeting Israelis during the past two weeks.

Netanyahu was supposed to visit Germany earlier this month in a trip to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. However, the trip was cancelled as the current violence erupted, which has since killed nine Israelis. Netanyahu will hold talks with Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, but Kerry announced on Sunday that he too would travel to Berlin to meet with Netanyahu. Kerry will likely then fly on to the Middle East and meet with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah. Israeli media reports suggest that Kerry is looking to arrange a summit of all three leaders in Jordan’s capital Amman.

The Guardian says that Kerry is seeking a written clarification of the status quo arrangement at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the establishment of a complaints and resolution mechanism. Much of the current violence has centred on Palestinian claims that Israel is altering the status quo, under which Jews are allowed to visit but not pray at the holy site. Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly publicly stated that Israel has no such intentions and reiterated the point yesterday during a press conference alongside United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon who is visiting the region. Netanyahu said “Israel vigorously protects the holy sites of all faiths. We keep the status quo.” He added that Palestinians who “have brought explosives into al-Aqsa mosque” and who “try violently to prevent Jews and Christians from visiting the Temple Mount” are violating the status quo.

Netanyahu also said that President Abbas is “fanning the flames” of violence through incitement, “glorifying terrorists as heroes.” He called on the international community to hold Abbas “accountable for his dangerous words.”