US Secy of State Antony Blinken urges for calm & de-escalation after violence flares between Israel and Palestinians

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged for calm and de-escalation after violence flared between Israel and the Palestinians.

Mr Blinken was speaking at a press conference in Cairo on Monday after kicking off his visit to West Asia. He urged all parties to calm things down and de-escalate tensions and stressed the importance of working for a two-state solution.

Israel is reeling from an attack that killed seven civilians outside a synagogue in east Jerusalem on Friday, a day after an army raid in the West Bank claimed 10 lives.

In an interview to a TV channel, Mr Blinken condemned and deplored the horrific terrorist attacks that took place in the last couple of days.

Earlier, Washington’s top diplomat met Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and country’s foreign minister in Cairo and later left for Israel and the Palestinian territories. He is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas.