WASHINGTON听鈥斕齍S National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday expressed听鈥渟erious concerns鈥澨齮o his Israeli counterpart about violent clashes in Jerusalem sparked by planned evictions of Palestinians from East Jerusalem, the White House said in a statement.听
Mr.听Sullivan in a phone听call with Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat听鈥渆ncouraged the Israeli government to pursue appropriate measures to ensure calm during Jerusalem Day commemorations.鈥听
New confrontations broke out between Palestinians and Israeli police in parts of East Jerusalem on Sunday, including in Sheikh Jarrah and outside the walled Old City, as well as in Haifa, a mixed Arab-Jewish city in northern Israel at the height of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.听
The clashes have been sparked by the planned evictions of several Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem, an area captured by Israel in a 1967 war.听
Israel鈥檚 attorney-general secured a deferment on Sunday of an Israeli Supreme Court hearing on the evictions, a session that had threatened to stoke more violence in the holy city and heighten international concern.听
鈥淢r. Sullivan also reiterated the United States鈥 serious concerns about the potential evictions of Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood,鈥澨齮he White House statement said.听
Messrs.听Sullivan and Ben-Shabbat听鈥渁greed that the launching of rocket attacks and incendiary balloons from Gaza towards Israel is unacceptable and must be condemned,鈥澨齮he White House added.听
It said听Mr.听Sullivan also expressed the Biden administration鈥檚 commitment to Israel鈥檚 security and to supporting peace and stability throughout the Middle East and would remain fully engaged in the days ahead to promote calm in Jerusalem.听鈥听Reuters听
