Contesting the Calm: Israel–Palestine Talks on Restraining Violence for Ramadan

Woman passes the wall separating Israeli and Palestinian territory in the West Bank (Source: Juliane Kravik). 

By KATHRYN KOSS

Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, Egyptian, and U.S. political and security officials met at an Egyptian resort in Sharm el-Sheikh on March 19 to discuss efforts to minimize violence between Israel and Palestine during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Violence in the region has historically escalated during Ramadan. In light of increased attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank since the new year, officials are seeking ways to prevent the continued cycle of violence. 

Since January 2023, 89 Palestinans, including 18 children and one woman, have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers, mostly during arrest raids. About 14 Israelis have been killed by Palestinian forces, according to the New York Times.

The Jordanian Times reports that the meeting at Sharm el-Sheikh aimed to stop unilateral actions and escalations, where the leaders reasserted their commitment to security, stability and peace on both sides as well as a de-escalation of violence. In particular, the Israeli government committed to stopping any new settlements for a four month period and stopping authorization of any outposts for six months. 

Additionally, the partner countries spoke of how to improve finances for the Palestinian Authority. Palestine’s legal rights to carry out security measures over Area (A) of the West Bank were maintained. 

The Sharm el-Sheikh talks also follow U.S.-led talks in Aqaba last month. As a result of the Aqaba conference, Israeli and Palestinian forces vowed to de-escalate violence, while Israel agreed to pause announcements of new illegal settlements for several months, according to an Al Jazeera article.. Nonetheless, during the talks at Aqaba, a Palestinian man, as the New York Times reports, killed two Israelis in Huwara, leading toIsraeli settlers setting dozens of Palestinians’ homes and cars ablaze.  

During the talks at Sharm el-Sheikh, a Palestinian gunman wounded two Israeli settlers at the same roundabout in Huwara where the shootings took place a month earlier. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu condemned the vigilante violence, his Minister of Finance, Bazel Smotrich, said that Huwara should be wiped out and that there is “no such thing as a Palestinian people,” an Al Jazeera article reports

Eventually, Smotrich retracted his statement, which Netenyahu commended. Smotrich is currently experiencing international backlash to his comments. 

“We reject those comments that have racist implications and deny historical and geographical truths,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated. “Such words provoke the anger not only of the Palestinians but also of any person with conscience…They also undermine the efforts to achieve calm between Palestinians and Israelis,” they added.