U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has concluded an emotionally charged visit to Israel, during which he emphasized unwavering American support for the Jewish state in the wake of the unprecedented attacks bymilitant group Hamas.
The attack claimed the lives of 1,300 Israelis and triggered a massive Israeli retaliation in Gaza, killing 2,200 Palestinians.
During a joint appearance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on October 12, Blinken stated, “The message I bring to Israel is this: You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself. But as long as America exists, you will never, ever have to.”
Blinken commenced his address with a deeply personal reflection, revealing that he had arrived in Israel during this pivotal juncture not only as the Secretary of State but also as a Jew, a husband, and a father. “I come before you not only as the United States secretary of state but also as a Jew,” Blinken told the audience at Israel’s Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv. He reiterate his condemnation of the recent terrorist attacks in Israel and reaffirm the United States’ steadfast solidarity with the Israeli government and its people.
“Look at what just happened — individuals from 36 countries killed or missing in the aftermath of the heinous attacks. Europe, Asia, Africa the Americas — no region has escaped Hamas’ bloody reach, he said. Blinken will hold talks with regional leaders to ensure the immediate and safe release of an estimated 150 hostages held by Hamas.
Blinken’s trip to Israel marks the initial step in a significant diplomatic initiative to engage with regional partners across multiple Middle East to prevent the spread of violence beyond national borders.
Blinken’s itinerary from October 11 to 15, 2023, includes visits to Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Egypt, where he will hold discussions with high-ranking officials.
Blinken meets with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan
On Friday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman, Jordan, to discuss the fallout from Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and its repercussions in the occupied West Bank.“The Secretary extended his condolences to the families of Palestinian civilian victims of this conflict, and reiterated that Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to dignity, freedom, justice, and self-determination.” Blinken also thanked Abbas for his efforts to “further calm” the region and he “reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to cooperation with the Palestinian leadership and people on efforts to ensure security for all,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a readout.
President Mahmoud Abbas urged for immediate halt of the Israeli attack against the Palestinian people, and rejected the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. “This would constitute a second Nakba for our people,” Abbas told Blinken, emphasizing the urgent need for humanitarian corridors to be opened to the Gaza Strip, to allow the entry of medical supplies, water, electricity and fuel to citizens there.
The Nakba, which means “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the mass displacement or expulsion of some 760,000 Palestinians from their homes during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that coincided with the creation of Israel.
In Amman, Blinken also met with King Abdullah II, the Jordanian leader has served as a key mediator in Middle East-related negotiations for decades. Blinken and Abdullah discussed talked about “efforts to secure the release of all hostages and prevent the conflict from widening.” The Jordanian king called for “opening humanitarian corridors to allow for the entry of urgent medical and relief aid to Gaza, and protecting civilians and stopping the escalation and war on Gaza,” an official statement said.
U.S. working with Israel, Egypt, Jordan, UN to ease humanitarian crisis
In an online post, U.S. President Biden said that United States is working with several countries, including Israel, Jordan, Egypt as well as the United Nations to ease the humanitarian consequences of the Hamas attacks.
He added that Washington is working to “create conditions needed to resume the flow of assistance, and advocate for the upholding of the law of war”.
Humanitarian crisis in Gaza
Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is deepening, with warnings people are at risk of starvation as Israel imposes a “complete siege,” blocking food, water, electricty and fuel supplies. The Israel Defense Force warned on Friday that 1.1 million residents of Gaza City had 24 hours to evacuate, ahead of a possible ground operation. People began fleeing southward for their safety as Israeli forces continue intense bombing in Gaza.
At least 2,200 Palestinians, including journalists, medics and other civilians, have been killed by Israeli bombing and shelling in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry. More than 400,000 Palestinians had been internally displaced, the UN said in a statement.
Calls for protecting civilians
During his diplomatic outreach tour across the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for protecting civilians in the Gaza Strip and Israel.
In Riyadh, Blinken Blinken met with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and stressed the importance of minimizing the harm to civilians as Israel prepared for an anticipated incursion. In Saudi Arabia and UAE, Blinken sought ways to help civilians trapped in between the fighting and to address the growing humanitarian crisis. The U.S. and Saudi officials discussed continued engagement with regional partners to prevent the spread of conflict in the region and their shared commitment to taking steps to help protect civilians.
Humanitarian corridors
In Doha, Blinket met with the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and discussed political and humanitarian dimensions of the evolving crisis.
Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani discussed “ways to open humanitarian corridors to ensure access of humanitarian relief and assistance” to our Palestinians, who he said “are trapped by the constant bombardments, especially in light of the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip.” He said that Qatar’s main diplomatic priorities include achieving an immediate ceasefire, protecting civilians, securing prisoner releases, and preventing the expansion of violence and conflict in the region.
Blinken said that the United States and Qatar have a shared mission of preventing this conflict from spreading. “We’re also working intensively together to secure the release of hostages, including American citizens being held by Hamas in Gaza. I’m grateful for the urgency that Qatar is bringing to this effort” he added. Qatar and the U.S. are reportedly working to finalize an agreement on the release of civilian hostages seized by Hamas,
During his meeting with Bahraini Crown Prince-Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in Manama, Secretary Blinken discussed Hamas’ terrorist attacks in Israel and the importance of preventing the conflict from widening and maintaining stability in the region. Blinken also reaffirmed the strong strategic partnership between the United States and Bahrain.
