US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that recent attacks by Israeli settlers on Arab residents of the West Bank pose a threat to maintaining a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
"There are some concerns that what's happening in the West Bank could get out of hand, escalate into something bigger and create an impact that would derail our efforts in Gaza," Rubio said in response to questions from reporters.
He believes that the situation will probably not get out of control because the US will do everything to prevent such a development. He also praised the Israeli authorities' response to the latest similar attack.
Dozens of Israelis attacked two Palestinian villages in the West Bank on Tuesday, setting fire to cars and homes. They later clashed with Israeli soldiers who arrived at the scene.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the attack as "shocking and serious" and called on the authorities to "act decisively". Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Lt. General Eyal Zamir announced that the army will prevent such violence.
