Biden urges Gaza-Israel calm in first call with Abbas

U.S. President Joe Biden urged calm between Israel and Gaza on Saturday and affirmed his support for a two-state solution in his first phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas since taking office, the official Palestinian news agency said.

The conversation came amid heavy fighting between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip. Biden dispatched an envoy to the region on Friday to work for calm. Biden told Abbas

the United States “is making efforts with the concerned parties to reach the goal”

of reducing violence in the region, a summary of the call published by WAFA said.

Biden also said the United States opposes the eviction of Palestinians from East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah, the summary said, a case that helped ignite tension in the holy city and spark fighting between Israel and Gaza militants.