U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel for the first leg of a broader Middle East tour aimed at reviving ceasefire talks in Gaza and Lebanon. Blinken’s visit, scheduled to last a week, will include stops in Jordan on Wednesday, followed by Doha, with other regional stops yet to be announced by the U.S. State Department.
Blinken’s discussions will focus on how to end the war in Gaza and secure a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Lebanon. He will also address the expected Israeli response to an Iranian missile attack. An accompanying U.S. official, who requested anonymity, told reporters on the plane that Blinken would visit Amman on Wednesday to discuss with Jordanian officials ways to bring more humanitarian aid into war-torn Gaza, which has been ongoing for a full year.
The official added that the Secretary of State also plans to discuss with Israeli leaders the expected Israeli strike against Iran, aiming to dissuade them from any actions that could exacerbate the regional conflict. After visiting Israel on Tuesday and Jordan on Wednesday, Blinken will visit other Arab capitals on this new tour, which continues until Friday, according to his department.
An Egyptian Proposal to Revive Gaza Negotiations
Two Israeli officials reported that Egypt has made a new proposal to resume Gaza negotiations. According to Axios, the head of Egyptian Intelligence has proposed to the head of Israel’s Shin Bet a “limited exchange deal” to be followed by a “larger deal.”
The head of Shin Bet has presented the new Egyptian proposal to the security government.
Ending the War
The U.S. State Department stated that Blinken “will discuss the importance of ending the war in Gaza, securing the release of all detainees, and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people.” The department added that the American minister will also call for a “diplomatic solution” to the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, where the U.S. has so far refrained from calling for an immediate ceasefire. Blinken will also address “post-war” issues in Gaza concerning the sector’s reconstruction and governance, which are expected to be daunting tasks.
Arab countries have previously warned that they will not contribute to funding the reconstruction of Gaza unless there is a prospect for the establishment of a Palestinian state, which Israel rejects.
