Kerry says Jerusalem attack an atrocity 'making matters worse'

Peacemakers, not their opposition, must control the fate of Jerusalem and the process toward a solution between Israel and the Palestinians, US Secretary of State says.

By MICHAEL WILNER
US Secretary of State John Kerry addresses the media alongside Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh before the two held a bilateral meeting in Paris, France, on November 5, 2014. (photo credit: STATE DEPARTMENT PHOTO)
US Secretary of State John Kerry addresses the media alongside Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh before the two held a bilateral meeting in Paris, France, on November 5, 2014.
(photo credit: STATE DEPARTMENT PHOTO)
WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State John Kerry has condemned the second vehicular terrorist attack in less than two weeks in Jerusalem, warning that such "atrocities" only serve to exacerbate tensions on the ground.
"I condemn today’s terrorist act of somebody driving in another car into innocent people standing on the roadside," Kerry said, meeting with Jordanian foreign minister Nasser Judeh in Paris.
"That is not just a terrorist act," he continued, "but it only makes matters worse. It only raises tensions."
Peacemakers, not their opposition, must control the fate of Jerusalem and the process toward a solution between Israel and the Palestinians, he said.
"There are those who oppose peace, and people need to not allow those who oppose peace to control what is happening in the region," he continued.
Judeh echoed the secretary's remarks, but also condemned Israel for "continuous violations and unilateral actions" in the holy city. Amman withdrew its ambassador from Tel Aviv for consultations on Wednesday, citing "violations" by the Israeli government on the Temple Mount.
"The only way that we can prevent these unilateral measures from continuing to take place is to have a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, at the core of which is the Palestinian-Israeli [conflict]," Judeh said. "So I think this is what we will want to work on achieving so that we don’t have another Gaza and we don’t have these continuous violations and unilateral actions."
Corresponding by e-mail, Dana Daoud, spokeswoman at the Embassy of Jordan in Washington, said that "Israeli aggression" forced a recalculation from Amman.
"Prime Minister Ensour also instructed the foreign minister to immediately complain to the United Nations Security Council, against the Israeli aggression in Jerusalem," Daoud said. "The Jordanian delegation to the United Nations initiated the necessary diplomatic procedures to lodge the complaint."


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