Secretary of State Antony Blinken departs for the Middle East on Thursday night with an intensive diplomatic agenda as tensions rise over Israel's war against Hamas.
Tuesday's assassination of a Hamas leader in Lebanon, Wednesday's terrorist attack in Iran, and attacks on U.S. military bases in Iraq and commercial ships in the Red Sea have raised alarm in the region about the possibility of a broader conflict erupting. ing. .
Blinken's destinations include Turkey, Greece, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Israel and Egypt, as well as a visit to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
The Secretary's itinerary highlights the key players the United States relies on to exert influence and contribute to lowering regional temperatures.
“It is in no one's interest, in Israel's interest, in the interest of the region, in the interest of the world, for this conflict to expand beyond Gaza,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Wednesday. .
His visit focused on Israel's war against Hamas, protecting civilian lives in conflict zones, expanding humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and securing the return of more than 100 hostages held by Hamas. Initiatives are focused.
This is Blinken's fourth trip to the Middle East and his fifth trip to Israel since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that sparked retaliation in the Gaza Strip.
Miller said he would discuss immediate steps with partner countries to increase “substantial” humanitarian aid and commercial deliveries to Gaza. Blinken will discuss with Israeli officials the ongoing military operation against Hamas and “next steps in the operation,” including allowing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to return to their homes and neighborhoods.
The Biden administration has continued to wage war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip amid international pressure to implement a ceasefire, even as the United States has expressed concern about the high number of Palestinian deaths in the strip. , has secured its position as Israel's strongest ally. Tensions in the West Bank.
Countries such as Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt act as mediators with Hamas and exert influence with other powers, such as Lebanon's Hezbollah and Iran and Iranian-backed proxies. They play a variety of roles in doing so. Yemen's Houthis have carried out back-and-forth attacks with Israel and the United States, but have not escalated to the point of a full-scale war.
Blinken will be in Turkey to discuss Ankara's efforts to complete Sweden's ratification of NATO membership, and in Greece to discuss support for Ukraine and regional maritime security.
“We don't expect every conversation to be easy on this trip. There are clearly difficult issues facing this region, and there are difficult choices ahead,” Miller said. Ta.
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