US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said the rocket attacks from Gaza against Israel should stop "immediately," and he urged all sides to take steps to de-escalate the situation.
"I am deeply concerned about the rocket attacks," Blinken said in brief remarks ahead of his meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi at the State Department. Safadi also said the focus was to ensure escalation stopped.
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The UN Security Council held emergency consultations Monday on the escalating violence in east Jerusalem and was considering a proposed statement calling on Israel to cease evictions and calling for "restraint" and respect for "the historic status quo at the holy sites."
Ireland's UN Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, who joined in calling for the emergency meeting, said "the Security Council should urgently speak out, and we hope that it will be able to do so today."
Council diplomats said all 15 members expressed concern at the clashes and rising violence but the United States said a statement might not be useful at this time. Nonetheless, the US agreed to have council experts discuss the statement after all other members said the UN's most powerful body must react, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because consultations were private.
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