Sheikh Jarrah clashes could lead to escalation, says government official

MANAMA, Bahrain — A senior government official traveling in Bahrain with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett says that ongoing clashes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem could lead to a “regional escalation.”

“A deterioration in Sheikh Jarrah could lead to a regional escalation,” the official tells reporters accompanying Bennett on his trip. The official says Bennett has a responsibility to prevent such escalations, comparing the situation now to the clashes and tension ahead of Operation Guardian of the Walls in May. “There is a responsibility to prevent escalations that can lead to very difficult things… it’s no joke.”

The official also says that Israel is working “slowly” towards rebuilding relations with Turkey, after President Isaac Herzog confirmed today that he is planning a trip to Ankara soon. “The sides are working slowly. We’re approaching carefully, with gestures here and there, and indeed we can see that there is an increase in Turkish activity against Hamas terrorism.”

The source says that Turkey’s increased crackdown on Hamas was not based on any Israeli demand.