U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Israeli leaders in Tel Aviv
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is holding talks in Israel on Tuesday as he seeks a plan for Gaza’s post-war future, while Israel’s military pushes ahead with its offensive in the beleaguered territory.
Blinken met with top Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and opposition leader Yair Tepper, to discuss the situation in Gaza and the prospects for peace in the region.
The U.S. and Israel are united in the war against Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza and has launched thousands of rockets at Israel since October 7. But they sharply disagree over how to end the conflict and what role to play for the Palestinians.
U.S. urges Israel to work with moderate Palestinians and neighbors on postwar plans
Blinken said at a news conference after meeting with Israeli leaders that Israel “must stop taking steps that undercut the Palestinians’ ability to govern themselves effectively.” He added that Israel “must be a partner of the Palestinian leaders who are willing to lead their people” and live “side by side in peace with Israel”.
He also said that Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey agreed to begin planning for the reconstruction and governance of Gaza once the war ends. The leaders of Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority are set to meet on Wednesday in Jordan’s southern Red Sea city of Aqaba.
Blinken said that he supports a two-state solution based on previous agreements between Israel and Palestine, but he also acknowledged that there are many challenges and obstacles to achieving it. He said that he hopes that both sides will engage in direct negotiations soon.
War in Gaza causes humanitarian crisis and regional instability
The war in Gaza is still raging, with no end in sight, and fueling a humanitarian catastrophe in the tiny coastal enclave. More than 2,000 people have been killed, mostly civilians, and more than 100,000 have been displaced by the fighting.
The fighting has also stoked escalating violence between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants that has raised fears of a wider conflict. Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets at northern Israel since October 7, killing four people and injuring dozens more.
The international community has condemned both sides for violating international law and human rights during the war. The United Nations Security Council has called for an immediate ceasefire and urged both parties to respect their obligations under previous resolutions.
