Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, has arrived in Israel for challenging meetings with Israeli leaders. The discussions take place to address Washington’s concerns regarding Israel’s actions in the conflict with Hamas. Blinken’s visit follows talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in AlUla, part of his Middle East tour to seek consensus on the future of Gaza.
Blinken mentioned that key Arab states and Turkey have agreed to initiate planning for the reconstruction and governance of Gaza once Israel’s conflict with Hamas concludes. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey have committed to collaborating and coordinating efforts to assist Gaza in stabilizing and recovering. The goal is to outline a political path for the Palestinians and work towards achieving long-term peace, security, and stability in the entire region.
Blinken stated that the Saudis and other Arab leaders remain interested in pursuing the normalization of relations with Israel, but this interest is contingent on achieving a lasting Israeli-Palestinian political resolution. Blinken emphasized the region’s clear interest in normalization but highlighted the necessity for the Gaza conflict to end and the establishment of a practical pathway to a Palestinian state. He affirmed that the interest is genuine and could have transformative effects.
During his fourth visit to the Middle East in three months, Blinken aims to persuade Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to engage in substantive discussions regarding postwar governance in Gaza. He also seeks Israeli commitment to enhancing the protection of civilians in Gaza and facilitating increased aid access to the territory. Blinken stressed the critical need to prioritize civilian protection and ensure effective delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need.
The United States has consistently supported Israel throughout the conflict with Hamas. However, Prime Minister Netanyahu has not publicly outlined detailed plans for governing Gaza after the military operation concludes. Furthermore, Israel has rejected the preferred option of the United States, which involves creating a unified Palestinian state comprising both the West Bank and Gaza. Although the Biden administration has developed comprehensive plans for the transition to such a state, Netanyahu’s government has staunchly opposed this outcome and has not engaged in substantive discussions with U.S. officials regarding Washington’s proposals.
Israel initiated its offensive in response to Hamas sending thousands of militants into the southern part of the country, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the abduction of about 240 others. Tensions heightened with an Israeli airstrike killing an elite Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon, escalating the exchange of strikes along the border and raising concerns about another Middle Eastern war. The Israeli army also claimed to have killed a Hamas commander in Syria, described as a “central figure” in launching rocket attacks against Israel. The health ministry in Gaza reported hundreds of deaths in the previous in a couple of days, bringing the total casualties to over 23,000, mainly women and children, since the conflict began. King Abdullah of Jordan criticized Israel’s “brutal” war in Gaza, stating that it had created a generation of orphans, with more than 30,000 people, mostly women and children, killed or missing as a result of the conflict.
In the past year, Gaza has witnessed more child fatalities than all other global conflicts combined. Many of the surviving children now face the harsh reality of losing one or both parents, resulting in an entire generation left as orphans. The question arises: Can peace be achieved through indiscriminate aggression and shelling? How can security be guaranteed when the foundation is built on hatred?
Analysts emphasize the crucial role of regional powers in shaping Gaza’s postwar governance. Urgent and strategic planning is imperative to prevent a prolonged, simmering conflict – an outcome deemed the most dangerous and undesirable for Israelis, Palestinians, and the broader region. The current scenario involves a game of reluctance, with stakeholders outlining what they won’t do. Time is of the essence, and immediate, concrete planning is essential. In anticipation of Blinken’s visit, Israeli officials have signaled potential concessions, including a shift in military tactics and policy proposals on Gaza. However, their plans differ significantly from the US’s call for empowering the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank to assume control of Gaza and initiate negotiations for a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Blinken aims to reassure Arab officials that the US opposes the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, advocating for the involvement of Israel’s Muslim-majority neighbors in shaping the territory’s future governance. With concerns about the ongoing conflict destabilizing the region, the US is urging regional states to work towards reducing tensions. Recent weeks have seen increased violence in the occupied West Bank, Syria, and Iraq, along with Houthi attacks from Yemen on Red Sea shipping lanes.
Highlighting the profound tension in the region, Blinken, in a news conference in Doha alongside Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, emphasized the risk of the conflict escalating, leading to more insecurity and suffering.
Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have intensified along the disputed Lebanon-Israel border since October, with clashes rising. Last week, Israel assassinated a senior Hamas official in a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut, leading to heightened exchanges. A key surveillance complex was damaged by Hezbollah in response. An Israeli airstrike killed an elite Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon, identified as Wissam al-Tawil, a significant figure in the armed group. Hezbollah’s seniority was underscored by circulating pictures of Tawil with its leaders and the late Qassem Suleimani. The situation remains precarious, with the possibility of further increase. Israel expressed a desire to avoid war but insisted on pushing Hezbollah’s elite fighters away from the disputed border if necessary.
UN experts reported “a growing body of evidence” of sexual violence against Israeli civilians during the October attacks, describing it as “harrowing.” Hamas denies the allegations. The UN also expressed alarm at the deaths of numerous journalists in the Gaza war, following the recent killing of two Al Jazeera reporters in an Israeli strike on their car, termed a “targeted killing” by the network.
Antony Blinken’s visit to Israel aims to address Washington’s concerns over Israel’s actions in the conflict with Hamas. Key Arab states and Turkey have agreed to plan for Gaza’s reconstruction and governance after the conflict. While regional powers play a crucial role, urgent planning is necessary to avoid a prolonged conflict. Blinken seeks Israeli commitment to postwar governance discussions, civilian protection, and increased aid access in Gaza. Despite U.S. support for Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu has not outlined detailed plans, and tensions persist, with concerns about regional destabilization. The situation is complex, requiring immediate and concrete planning for a sustainable resolution.
