Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken sent a clear message on Wednesday about the US’s preferred outcome in the conflict between Israel and Hamas when he stated that Gaza and the West Bank should be united under the Palestinian Authority after the war is over.
Delivered at a meeting of foreign ministers in Tokyo, the message came at a time when President Biden is under increasing pressure to exert his influence in order to avoid civilian losses and advocate for long-term, sustainable goals in the region. However, there are more and more indications that the interests of the US and Israel are changing.
As the fight moves into its second month, Mr. Blinken’s words on Wednesday reveal a great deal of fear on the part of Mr. Biden and his aides inside the White House. What began as a clear-cut rush to defend an ally in the days following October 7 has evolved into a far more difficult diplomatic task for the president to assist in defining a substitute for unrestricted warfare in the Middle East.
As a global leader who is closely aligned with Israel, Mr. Biden possesses significant influence. His administration has endeavored to unite Arab countries and other stakeholders around a vision that transcends the conflict and intense feelings that have caused division in the area for many years.
Mr. Blinken stated on Wednesday that “affirmative elements are necessary to get to a sustained peace.”
“The voices and aspirations of the Palestinian people must be at the heart of Gaza’s post-crisis governance,” he declared. “Palestinian-led government and Gaza’s unification with the West Bank under Palestinian Authority are essential.”
Mr. Blinken provided no information regarding the implementation of such an agreement; given the current rate of violence, it would not be a short-term solution. However, even in the unlikely event that Israel were to overthrow Hamas, it would not be simple to return control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority, which oversees portions of the West Bank. Mahmoud Abbas, its leader, is incredibly unpopular. Many Palestinians consider him to be corrupt and believe that his attempts to achieve independence through peace negotiations have been unsuccessful.
“Right now, we don’t have everything figured out,” A representative for the National Security Council named John F. Kirby,
He said that given the president’s longstanding, close relationship to Israel over several decades, it was improbable that Mr. Biden would force the US to veto an anti-Israel resolution at the UN or restrict military assistance to the nation in the upcoming weeks.
He noted that many in Mr. Biden’s administration held similar views. “He is alone among modern American presidents who believe that he is and has been a part of the Israel story for decades,” he said. “The Israeli public’s affection for the idea of Israel is ingrained in their emotional and political makeup.”
