Berlin // The US secretary of state John Kerry on Thursday expressed “cautious optimism” about defusing the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian violence after talks in Berlin with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The two met as part of a flurry of diplomatic activity aimed at halting the cycle of violence, which erupted on October 1 and has raised fears of a new Palestinian intifada.
Following their four-hour meeting, Mr Kerry said he had “a cautious measure of optimism that there may be some things that could be, in the next couple of days, put on the table”.
He said the aim was to encourage all parties “that there is a way to defuse the situation and begin a way forward”.
The US state department said “constructive proposals” had been raised at the talks which included “steps Israel could take to reaffirm yet again the continued commitment to maintaining the status quo” at the flashpoint Al Aqsa mosque compound, which is also considered holy by Jews.
Mr Kerry said he discussed several issues with Mr Netanyahu which he would raise with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who has previously played a key role in mediation between the two sides.
“If parties want to try – and I believe they do want to move to a de-escalation – I think there are sets of choices that are available,” he said, expressing hope that “we can seize this moment and pull back from the precipice”.
Since October 1, at least 49 Palestinians and one Israeli Arab have been killed, including alleged attackers. Eight Israelis have been killed in attacks.
In the latest violence, a Palestinian man was shot dead and another critically wounded after they allegedly attempted to board a bus carrying children in Beit Shemesh near Jerusalem. Israeli police they were repelled by the driver and others and then stabbed a passerby, moderately wounding him, before being shot.
Alarmed by the wave of violence, UN chief Ban Ki-moon made a surprise visit to the region this week to meet with both sides, but said on Wednesday he was “not optimistic” about finding ways to calm the situation.
On Thursday, he met King Abdullah in Amman and stressed “the responsibility of Arab leaders to encourage calm and to ensure that this crisis does not get out of control”.
Meanwhile in Berlin, Mr Netanyahu met separately with the German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the EU foreign police chief Federica Mogherini.
Representatives of the Middle East Peace Quartet, which comprises diplomats from the UN, the EU, the US and Russia, are to meet over the situation in Vienna on Friday, Ms Mogherini said.
Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly accused Mr Abbas of fanning the flames and has rejecting allegations Israel has used excessive force in separate talks with both Mr Ban and the German chancellor Angela Merkel.
Earlier this week, the Israeli leader himself stirred controversy by claiming it was a Palestinian religious leader, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, who gave Adolf Hitler the idea of exterminating the Jews.
Speaking to the Security Council by videolink on Wednesday, Mr Ban delivered a sobering assessment of prospects for a return to calm, saying there was no time to waste. Details of his update, which was presented behind closed doors, were relayed by a diplomat.
He also presented a report on international protection after the Palestinians called for the deployment of an observer force in occupied and annexed east Jerusalem.
The report outlines 17 cases – from Trieste after World War Two to Kosovo in 1999 – when the Security Council stepped in and set up special regimes to guarantee the protection of civilians.
After meeting Mr Ban on Thursday, King Abdullah reiterated his warning to Israel against any move to change the status quo at the Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Clashes there between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters triggered the latest round of violence.
Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly accused Mr Abbas of incitement by suggesting Israel wants to change the status quo at the compound. The Israeli leader has insisted he has no intention of changing the rules.
* Agence France-Presse
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Company%20profile
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The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
Company%20Profile
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Company%20Profile
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
Price, base / as tested: Dh76,900 / Dh110,900
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: Torque: 352Nm @ 2,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.5L / 100km
Company%20Profile
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Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 0
Stoke City 0
Man of the Match: Erik Pieters (Stoke)
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