Antony Blinken: Settlements hinder Israeli-Palestinian peace,

Mr Blinken met Palestinian and Israeli pioneers on his two-day visit,

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized Israeli settlement activities in the occupied West Bank as an obstacle to peace.

The comments came after talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank City of Ramallah on Tuesday.

It highlights US opposition to a Key platform of the new Israeli government, which aims to strengthen settlements.

Mr Blinken’s visit comes amid rising tensions following a spate of deadly attacks and a military raid.

When Israeli forces launch an operation against a cell that Israel claim was planning an impending strike.

The following day six Israelis and a Ukrainian were killed when a Palestinian opened fire near a synagogue in East Jerusalem Later, an Israeli father and son were Wounded., 

 gun and the others who died when Israeli soldiers opened fire on a vehicle. According to the army, it should have driven off after hitting a soldier.

Mr Blinken spoke of the “shrinking horizon of hope for the Palestinians. Which he said needed to change. He affirmed that Washington supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel – and said he opposed actions by either side that would make it more difficult.

 Status of holy sites, and Course the incitement and approval of violence.”

Israel and the Palestinians have long accused each other of violating agreements from the early 1990s that were suppose to lead to an eventual peace deal between the two sides.

The newly formed Israeli government firmly opposes the concept of a Palestinian state and supports the expansion of Jewish settlements on land claimed by the Palestinians as their state.

Mr Netanyahu, who held talks with Mr Blinken on Monday, also pledged to legalize dozens of outposts – settlements built without official permission – by the end of February.

Since occupying the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war, Israel has built about 140 settlements, home to about 600,000 Jews.

The Vast majority of the international community considers the settlements illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this.