The German government called Monday on Israel and the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table.
Only talks, and not violence, can solve the Middle East conflict, deputy government spokeswoman, Charima Reinhardt, said.
She said the German government was following the present clashes with great concern and hoped that international efforts would lead to de-escalation in violence.
According to Reinhardt, negotiations between the two sides in recent months before the new flare-up had shown some promise.
Top diplomats, including UN chief Kofi Annan and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, scrambled Monday to defuse the tension in the Middle East, hours before an Israeli ultimatum to the Palestinians to end the violence was due to run out - BERLIN (AFP)
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