Israeli airstrikes launched in retaliation to an intercepted rocket from the Gaza Strip killed a Palestinian woman and her three-year-old daughter, media said on Sunday.
In another development, a Palestinian woman set off an explosive device after being stopped at a checkpoint between the West Bank settlement of Maale Adumim and the Palestinian village of Az-Zaayyem, Israeli police said on Sunday.
Middle East Quartet Stresses Urgency of Israel-Palestine Conflict Solution
This appears to be the first suicide bombing attempt in the latest escalation of Israeli-Palestinian violence that has seen mostly knife attacks in nearly two weeks.
Radio Sputnik discussed the latest escalation of tensions with socio-political activist and co-Chairman of Israel Palestine Creative Regional Initiatives (IPCRI) Gershon Baskin.
“The escalating violence is the reflection of staggering peace process or better to say no peace process at all. It is a total breakdown between the parties and an enormous lack of trust between them,”
Baskin said.
He further said that some Palestinian Muslim forces have been spreading lies and rumors essentially that Israel is intending to destroy Al-Aqsa mosque there and rebuild the third temple. “But both sides do not want an escalation of tension here.” It is not a religious issue but a political issue, the activist added.
Baskin also said that peace process has been going on for 22 years. There is a requirement for a permanent peace agreement. “Till it happens there will be the continued Israeli building of settlements in occupied territories and Palestinian frustration which will be expressed on the streets because of lack of direction and lack of hope.”
“The parties need to start talking to each other again. It’s not going to end without the parties securing out a way of understanding each other.”
So far there is no clear political process that is going on which will show a clear way out of Israeli occupation.
“The regional instability also affects the situation in Israel and Palestine as it heightens insecurity and tension. I hope that this does not slip down the slope into something more serious and that the situation de-escalates quickly,” Bashkin said.
The activist spoke about the role that the international parties such as France and Russia can play in helping resolve the tension in the region.
