French President Emmanuel Macron expressed “concern” about the “deteriorating situation” in the Palestinian territories and his “willingness” to work for “lasting peace” in the region during a telephone conversation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The French presidency reported that Macron “denounced the continuation of the settlement policy and reminded Mahmoud Abbas of France’s strong commitment to respecting the legitimate rights of the Palestinians.”

In a wave of violence that began in late March, 19 people, most of them civilians, were killed in attacks against Israelis by Palestinians, including Israeli Arabs, inside Israel and in the occupied West Bank, in which three attackers were killed. killed.

In response to the attacks, Israeli forces have stepped up their fighting in the West Bank, where 39 Palestinians, including activists and civilians, including journalist Shirin Abu Akle, have been killed while covering an Israeli military operation in the Jenin refugee camp, a stronghold of the Palestinian armed groups.

Macron expressed “condolences to the Palestinian people” over the killing of Abu Akle, stressing the “importance that France attaches to clarifying the circumstances of the death” of the Palestinian journalist.

“The President of the Republic reaffirmed his readiness to contain any escalation and facilitate the resumption of negotiations in order to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region,” the Elysee Palace said in a statement.

Today, the occupied West Bank, home to 2.9 million Palestinians, is home to some 475,000 Israeli settlers.