Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel. This meeting occurred amidst a proposed cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, which was uncertain after the rescue of four Israeli hostages in Gaza during a significant military operation. Additionally, the meeting took place shortly after War Cabinet member Benny Gantz resigned from the Israeli government, citing disagreements with the Prime Minister’s management of the war and the absence of a post-conflict plan.
Before his meeting with Netanyahu, Blinken met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo and was scheduled to visit Israel, Jordan, and Qatar. The regional situation remains tense, with Blinken urging all parties towards a ceasefire deal that includes the release of hostages.
THIS IS THE THREE PART PLAN ON THE TABLE
Blinken reiterated his call for Hamas to agree to the plan, citing its broad international backing. “If you desire a cease-fire, urge Hamas to agree,” he stated to journalists prior to departing Cairo for a journey that includes stops in Jordan and Qatar. While Blinken confirmed Israel’s acceptance of the proposal, Netanyahu has voiced doubts.
“I know that there are those who are pessimistic about the prospects,” Blinken said, putting the onus on Hamas. “That’s understandable. Hamas continues to show extraordinary cynicism in its actions, a disinterest not only in the well-being and security of Israelis but also Palestinians.”
President Joe Biden, Blinken, and other U.S. officials have commended the rescue of four Israeli hostages on Saturday. However, the operation led to the deaths of 274 Palestinian civilians, which could potentially hinder efforts towards a cease-fire by strengthening Israel’s position and reinforcing Hamas’ determination to continue the conflict that began with its attack in Israel on October 7.
In his Monday evening meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Secretary of State Blinken emphasized the commitment of US President Biden and other global leaders to support the Israeli proposal for hostage release and ceasefire, pending a response from Hamas. Blinken reinforced the United States’ unwavering commitment to Israel’s security, including the prevention of events similar to those on October 7, as per the State Department’s statement.
In his May 31 speech, President Biden outlined the key aspects of the Israeli proposal, stating that Israel has substantially diminished Hamas’s capabilities, thereby averting the likelihood of an attack similar to the one eight months ago that sparked the ongoing conflict. Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the administration’s view that the ceasefire proposal could pave the way for peace along Israel’s northern border and enhance integration with regional countries, while underscoring the necessity of preventing the conflict’s escalation.
The State Department’s readout concluded with Blinken updating Netanyahu on “ongoing diplomatic efforts to plan for the post-conflict period” — efforts that Washington has persistently urged Netanyahu to lead, cautioning that failure to do so could result in Israel being mired in conflict in Gaza indefinitely. Ironically, it was this absence of a post-war vision that led to Gantz’s departure from the government.
Following his meeting with Netanyahu, Blinken conversed with Foreign Minister Israel Katz and the former minister Gantz, who left the emergency government on Sunday night. He is slated to meet with President Isaac Herzog and the families of the eight hostages prior to his departure from Israel on Tuesday. Subsequently, Blinken is anticipated to journey from Israel to Jordan on Tuesday to attend a conference on humanitarian aid for Gaza, which UN Secretary-General António Guterres will also attend. Israel has not received an invitation to this meeting.
NBC reported on Monday that if a significant hostage deal does not materialize, the US is contemplating a minor side agreement with Hamas to release eight captives with dual Israeli-US citizenship, three of whom are presumed dead. When questioned about the NBC report, Blinken emphasized that the three-phase agreement is the optimal strategy to release all hostages.
“My No. 1 priority as secretary of state is to ensure the well-being of Americans who are in harm’s way anywhere in the world, including those who are being unjustly detained or being held hostage,” he said. “The best way, the most effective way to get everyone home, including the American hostages, is through this proposal, is through the ceasefire deal that’s on the table right now,” Blinken said. “That’s what we’re focused on. That’s what we’re determined to have – to see achieved.”
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have maintained that their acceptance of any ceasefire proposal in Gaza is contingent upon an end to the conflict with Israel and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces. Conversely, Israel has categorically rejected these terms, stating that it will not agree to cease hostilities until Hamas is incapacitated and unable to conduct military operations or govern within the enclave.
For the time being, Secretary Blinken has additional diplomatic tasks ahead as he seeks to bring both parties to the negotiating table to initiate the first phase of the hostage-for-ceasefire agreement. Currently, he enjoys ample support regionally and internationally, yet it is the two warring factions that are not inclined to agree at this juncture.
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