Arab leaders and Blinken disagreed on a ceasefire in Gaza. Arab leaders at a press conference demanded an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but Antony Blinken countered with a refusal.
It was Blinken’s second visit to the Middle East since the conflict began. This time, Blinken was side by side at the podium with his counterparts from Jordan and Egypt to meet with the media. In the afternoon, the U.S. diplomat had the opportunity to speak with Egyptian, Jordanian, Saudi, Qatari and Emirati diplomats, as well as a senior Palestinian official. The meeting was held to work out ways to protect Gaza’s civilians and improve aid deliveries to the besieged territory amid continued Israeli bombing.
During the meeting, which took place between the leaders, the Israeli military struck the Maghazi camp in Deir al-Balah Governorate in central Gaza Strip on Saturday night, killing 51 people, mostly women and children, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
When it came to an immediate ceasefire, the U.S. diplomat disagreed with the proposals, saying such a move would only help Hamas militants regroup and launch another attack.
In the wake of the latest action by Israel, which is justified on the grounds of self-defence, many comments have been made about how permissible it is to wage war in this way:
“We cannot accept the justification as considered as the right of self-defence, collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza,” Egypt’s Sameh Shoukry said. “This cannot be a legitimate self-defence at all.”
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also addressed Blinken at the joint conference, “This war is just going to produce more pain for Palestinians, for Israelis, and this is going to push us all again into the abyss of hatred and dehumanisation.”
Blinken’s response was predictable enough, since the US and several other countries are known to have not accepted the UN resolution regarding the cease-fire between Israel and Gaza: “It is our view now that a cease-fire would simply leave Hamas in place, able to regroup and repeat what it did.”
At the same time, Blinken tried to raise the issues of post-war Gaza, but Arab leaders also refused to encourage discussion on the main agenda item:
Stopping the killing and restoring steady humanitarian aid is immediate that must be addressed first.
“What happens next? How can we even entertain what will happen next?” said Jordan’s Ayman al-Safadi. “We don’t have all the variables to even start thinking about that.”
We need to get our priorities straight.
In addition, Blinken also drew attention to the increasing level of violence in the West Bank against Palestinian civilians. He said, “This has been a serious problem that’s only worsened since the conflict.”
Blinken is heading to Turkey on Sunday; he is expected to arrive in Ankara late Sunday and hold meetings with senior Turkish officials the following day.
