US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides on Thursday morning told Kan Reshet Bet that, "The Palestinian Authority needs to do more in order to prevent violence."
When asked about Shabak's (Israel Security Agency) recommendation to lock down Palestinian Arab villages and cities in northern Samaria where there is clear terror activity, Nides said that he "is not here in order to suggest to the IDF what they should or shouldn't do."
At the same time, he added, "We want the Palestinians to be able to live in security and freedom, and to be able to move around."
Regarding the Palestinian Authority's payments to terrorists' families, Nides said, "We have a law which prohibits passing money to the Palestinian Authority so long as these payments continue. We have expressed our desire that these payments cease. We think that they are not acceptable according to American law and we pressure the Palestinian Authority every day to end them."
On Wednesday, US Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf said in a press briefing that the US is "very worried about the security situation in Judea and Israel. This worries Israel and worries the Palestinian Authority."
"We are trying to make sure that the security coordination between the parties continues, and that additional things are done to preserve the security coordination and improve it."