On Tuesday, United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem and Ramallah, respectively. Among the major announcements made by Blinken during his meetings was the Biden administration’s decision to re-open the US consulate in Jerusalem and provide additional aid to Gaza.
“The United States will be moving forward with the process to reopen our consulate in Jerusalem. That’s an important way for our country to engage with and provide support to the Palestinian people,” Blinken told President Abbas during a press conference. The move is a reversal of former President Donald Trump’s 2019 decision to close the US consulate in Jerusalem and downgrade relations with Palestine.
Blinken further added that America intends to “provide $75 million in additional development and economic assistance for the Palestinians in 2021 [and] $5.5 million in immediate disaster assistance for Gaza and a little over $32 million for UNRWA’s emergency humanitarian appeal.” The top diplomat also said that the US remains “committed to the historic status quo on the Haram al-Sharif [Temple Mount]” in Jerusalem and acknowledged that Palestinians and Muslims all over the world must be able to “pray in peace” at the holy site. Regarding the recent tensions between Israeli forces and Palestinians in East Jerusalem, Blinken noted that “provocative actions” like home demolitions, and annexation of territory “risk sparking more violence and that undermines the prospects” for a just resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Abbas, meanwhile, thanked the US for its commitment to maintaining the “status quo in Jerusalem”, and to preserving the two-state solution. The president also added that the PA is committed to a “peaceful popular resistance” and that it renounced violence and terrorism. “We only want to achieve a political solution through peaceful means between us and Israel,” Abbas said. He stated that the Palestinians “highly value” the US resumption of aid and that the PA “stands ready to work directly” for the reconstruction of Gaza. Furthermore, he mentioned that he hoped to establish a “national unity government” in Gaza and the West Bank, and called on Hamas to “abide by international legitimacy resolutions” if such a scenario materialises. Abbas also blamed Israel’s refusal to allow Palestinians to vote in East Jerusalem, which Israel considers its sovereign capital, behind his decision to postpone the first Palestinian elections since 2006.
Prior to his meeting with Abbas, Blinken was received in Jerusalem by Israeli PM Netanyahu. Blinken stated that his visit to Jerusalem was based on four points: ensuring US commitment to Israel’s security; working towards reducing tensions in West Bank and Jerusalem; supporting humanitarian assistance for Gaza; and continuing to rebuild relations with Palestine. “That starts with the recognition that losses on both sides were profound. Casualties are often reduced to numbers but behind every number is an individual human being,” Blinken told Netanyahu. He also underscored that the US “fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself” against thousands of rockets fired by Hamas. In this respect, said that both sides discussed Israel’s security needs, including “replenishing the Iron Dome,” missile defence system. The leaders also exchanged views on the “intercommunal violence that erupted in Israel” as well the “shocking eruption of anti-Semitic attacks” in the US during hostilities between Israel and Hamas.
Netanyahu agreed with Blinken’s statements and said that Israel was ready “to improve the lives and conditions” of Palestinians, including those in Gaza. Netanyahu also stressed the fact that peace was not possible “until Israel is recognised as an independent Jewish state” and called on the US to work with Israel to “expand normalisation” between the Jewish state and the Arab world.
Netanyahu further mentioned that both sides had spoken about many regional issues, especially the US re-joining the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. The Israeli PM expressed his opposition to the deal and said that it “paves the way for Iran to have an arsenal of nuclear weapons with international legitimacy.” Netanyahu warned that “whatever happens, Israel will always reserve the right to defend itself against a regime committed to our [Israel’s] destruction.”
Apart from talks with Abbas and Netanyahu, Blinken also met with Palestinian civil society leaders on Tuesday and assured them of the US’ support for their aspirations. He further stressed that under President Biden, America was seeking to renew ties with Palestine. Blinken also held talks with Israeli Alternate PM Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, and reaffirmed the US “ironclad” commitment to the security of the Jewish state.
Blinken’s visit to the region comes after an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire put an end to the intense 11-day fighting between Israel and Hamas. The recent round of violence killed over 230 Gazans, including more than 60 children, and 12 people in Israel.
Blinken Meets With Netanyahu, Abbas, Announces Re-opening of Jerusalem Consulate
Blinken’s visit to the region comes after an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire put an end to the intense 11-day fighting between Israel and Hamas.
May 26, 2021
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu SOURCE: GPO