US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to embark on his sixth visit to Israel next Saturday since the beginning of the Gaza war. The visit follows Blinken's recent cautionary statement, where he highlighted the "incredibly volatile time" in the Middle East, drawing historical parallels to 1973.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration is actively weighing responses to a recent attack by pro-Iran militias against American soldiers.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Blinken's visit comes amid negotiations for a new deal aimed at securing the release of hostages held by Hamas and following agreements reached at the Paris meeting.
Notable participants at the Paris meeting included CIA chief William Burns, head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency David Barnea, head of the Egyptian Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel, and Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Blinken's remarks on the recent attack on US military personnel were made during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Washington.
The attack, claimed by the Iraqi Kataib Hezbollah and executed with an Iranian-manufactured "Shahed" drone, targeted a dormitory in Tower 22, a military logistical base located in the far northeast of Jordan. The assault resulted in three soldiers losing their lives and 34 injuries.
“From the outset, we have been clear in warning that anyone looking to take advantage of conflict in the Middle East and try to expand it: Don’t do it,” said Blinken. “And the President has been crystal clear: We will respond decisively to any aggression.”
He added that the US is still working on “putting a durable end to the cycle of violence that we’ve seen in the region for generation after generation,” highlighting that the opportunity exists to achieve it: “an integrated Israel with relations with all of its neighbors, security commitments, assurances that it needs to make sure that it can move forward in peace and security; a Palestinian Authority that’s reformed, and a clear pathway to a Palestinian state.”
That vision and its realization can “isolate the small number of actors who don’t want to get there, who have a very different vision for what the future is – notably Iran.”
Stoltenberg accused Iran of destabilizing the region and backing the Houthis attacks on the vessels in the Red Sea.
Volatile time
“I think it’s very important to note that this is an incredibly volatile time in the Middle East,” Blinken said. “I would argue that we’ve not seen a situation as dangerous as the one we’re facing now across the region since at least 1973, and arguably even before that.”
“We’ve taken action, and significant action, to deter groups, to degrade their capabilities in Iraq, in Syria, in Yemen,” he continued.
Amid concerns the violence could spark a wider regional conflict, Blinken noted the Biden administration is looking to prevent “broader escalation.”
“We want to prevent this conflict from spreading. So, we are intent on doing both ... that is, standing up for our people when they’re attacked while at the same time working every single day to prevent the conflict from growing and spreading,” he added.
Blinken noted the US “will respond strongly” and that the “response could be multileveled, come in stages, and be sustained over time.”
UNRWA
Commenting on the recent crisis over the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) that provide aid to Palestinian refugees, Blinken said the accusations were “troubling,” calling on the agency to investigate and potentially hold people accountable if wrongdoing is found.
Many key donors, including the United States and Germany, suspended funding to UNRWA after an Israeli detailed allegations that 12 of its employees were involved in the Oct. 7 cross-border raid that triggered Israel’s war against Hamas.
Blinken noted: “The UNWRA has played and continues to play an absolutely indispensable role in trying to make sure that men, women, and children who so desperately need assistance in Gaza actually get it. And no one else can play the role that UNRWA's been playing. Certainly not in the -- in the near term.”
Hostages
Blinken met with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Washington.
The leaders discussed the importance of facilitating the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas.
“Blinken additionally expressed gratitude for Qatar’s indispensable mediation efforts,” said State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller. “They agreed to continue close coordination to provide increased humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and to urge the protection of civilians consistent with humanitarian law.”
“Secretary Blinken underscored the US commitment to a more peaceful, integrated, and prosperous Middle East region with security for Israel and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.”
Miller added that they also discussed “concerns with the Houthi threat to navigational rights and freedoms in the Red Sea.”
In the wake of the recent killing of American soldiers, Al Thani expressed his hope that the forthcoming response from Washington would not jeopardize the progress achieved in ongoing talks aimed at securing the release of hostages.
“I hope that nothing will hinder the efforts we are making or spoil the process,” he stated.
