DUBAI: Britain’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab met with the Israeli prime minister and Palestinian president to discuss breaking the cycle of violence after the recent bombardment of Gaza.
Raab held talks with Benjamin Netanyahu and then Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah, a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held similar talks to bolster the Gaza ceasefire.
He also met his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi, who said his country will work with international assistance to weaken Hamas.
He added that weakening the militants supported the stability of the Middle East region.
Ashkenazi has further called on Britain to classify Hamas as an extremist organization.
Earlier, Raab wrote on twitter: “We must end the cycle of violence and make progress towards a lasting peace.”
The truce, brokered by Egypt and coordinated with the United States, began on May 21. Now in its fifth day, it has been holding.
The violence erupted on May 10, triggered by Palestinians' anger at what they saw as Israeli curbs on their rights in Jerusalem, including during police confrontations with protesters at Al-Aqsa mosque during the Ramadan fasting month.
