Palestinian and Israeli mayors gathered in the West Bank city of Jericho on Wednesday to show support for the cease-fire and call parties back to the negotiating table.
20 Israeli and 12 Palestinian mayors declared a ‘civilian truce’ between the Israelis and Palestinians they represent.
‘There is a wind of peace heading our way and we must work to make it stronger, and that’s why we’re here,’ said Eli Moyal, the mayor of Sderot.
Jericho mayor Hassan Saleh, said it was time to take a more peaceful path to Palestinian statehood.
‘We have both paid a heavy price… good neighbors will not come with occupation, it will not come with checkpoints, it will not come with killing or rockets or bombings,’ Saleh said.
‘We reject all acts of violence against innocent civilians on both sides and the only way to move forward is to stop the violence and bloodshed, and we call on the two sides to declare a year-long truce,’ said a statement released at the end of the meeting.
