We agreed with Abbas to prevent a third intifada, claims Herzog

Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog said on Tuesday that he agreed with the Palestinian Authority president to “prevent a third intifada,” Alkhaleejonline.net has reported.

Speaking to mass media in the West Bank city of Ramallah, where Mahmoud Abbas has his office, Herzog said that he conducted “deep discussions” with the president about the issue of the third intifada, the peace process and the latest developments in the region.

“First and foremost we must prevent a third intifada,” he said, “and we have agreed that in order to prevent a third intifada we must combat terror aggressively on the one hand, and on the other hand move toward a diplomatic process.”

Meanwhile, Abbas expressed his commitment to the peace process based on international legitimacy, which recognises the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital.

According to the PA’s Wafa news agency, Abbas noted that each side should commit to its obligations in order to “start serious negotiations that lead to ending the occupation and spreading peace in the region.”

The eruption of a third intifada is feared amid increased tension in the occupied West Bank. Feelings have been running high since the arson attack against a Palestinian house by Jewish extremists last month which killed an 18-month-old Palestinian toddler and his father. PA security forces have arrested several Palestinians, including Hamas activists, in an attempt to deter any responses to the deadly attack.

Nevertheless, Israeli occupation soldiers have killed two Palestinian teens at different military checkpoints in the West Bank over the past week or so, claiming that they were shot while trying to stab their colleagues.