Blinken and Netanyahu have a meeting in Israel as diplomatic attempts intensify.
As part of an intense diplomatic effort to achieve a “sustained and immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and thwart an Israeli incursion into Rafah, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on the morning of Friday .
The US-drafted UN Security Council resolution that called for such a truce linked to the release of the captives held by Hamas failed on Friday, severely undermining those efforts.
Blinken’s sixth tour of shuttle diplomacy in the area since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 comes to an end with the visit in Tel Aviv. His arrival in the nation occurred shortly prior to 10:00 a.m. local time. After his meeting with Netanyahu, Blinken spent around two and a half hours with the Israeli military cabinet.
Blinken’s visit coincided with talks in Doha to secure a ceasefire tied to Hamas hostage release, and a UN vote on a US-sponsored Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza conflict. This was the first time the US called for a ceasefire at the UN, specifically focusing on Hamas hostage release.
Prior to the voting on Thursday, Nate Evans, the US Mission to the UN’s spokesperson, stated, “This Resolution is a chance for the Security Council to speak with a single voice to support the diplomatic efforts occurring on the battlefield and to press Hamas to accept the deal on the table.”
The motion was rejected by China and Russia on Friday, a decision that US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield strongly denounced.
“Russia prioritized politics over advancement once more,” Thomas-Greenfield declared after the vote.
The Biden administration and Netanyahu’s government have strained relations, with domestic US frustrations increasing due to the ongoing war. Partisan divides have grown on Capitol Hill, with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer calling for an election in Israel and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson inviting Netanyahu to address Congress. Netanyahu’s plans to carry out an Israeli military incursion into Rafah have been met with criticism.
Blinken emphasized
A major military operation in Rafah would be a mistake and not supported, as there is no place for the massed civilians to escape harm, and for those remaining, it would be a humanitarian disaster.
Israeli officials are set to discuss the issue in Tel Aviv’s meetings, while Israeli officials are expected to visit Washington next week to hear US views on handling the problem differently. CIA Director Bill Burns is also expected to meet with Israeli, Qatar, and Egyptian counterparts in Doha.
The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where “100% of the population… is experiencing severe levels of acute food insecurity,” is the backdrop against which all of these diplomatic efforts are taking place, according to Blinken.
It is anticipated that Israel would be under pressure once more from the senior US ambassador to provide additional humanitarian aid to the Palestinians living in the war-torn region.
Israel must take further action, he declared on Thursday.
“The delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians has improved somewhat over the past few weeks, but it’s still insufficient,” Blinken said.
Blinken urged Israel “to open up more entry points to Gaza” in an interview on Wednesday, echoing the repeated calls of administration officials and foreign charity workers for a “flood” of aid.
Overland crossings are the most efficient means of providing aid to people in need, but persistent US pressure has not persuaded the Israeli government to take any action beyond establishing one more crossing. A few weeks ago, the US indicated that it was resorting to air drops and US military building of a naval dock in response to the persistent refusal from the Israeli government.
