U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel this week as part of his sixth urgent mission to the Middle East since Israel's war with Hamas began in October. The previously unannounced stop comes as relations between the two countries have soured dramatically in recent weeks.
FILE - Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a news conference at the State Department, March 13, 2024, in Washington. Blinken will travel to Israel this week as part of his sixth urgent mission to the Middle East since Israel’s war with Hamas began in October. The previously unannounced stop comes as relations between the two countries have soured dramatically in recent weeks. U.S.
Biden, facing a tough re-election campaign ahead of November’s presidential election, is under growing domestic pressure to rein in Israel’s military response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel.
“It is also absolutely incumbent on Israel, as it acts to defend itself and prevent October 7th from happening again, to make it a priority to protect civilians – those who are caught in harm’s way – and to provide for those who desperately need humanitarian assistance,” he said. In Cairo on Thursday, Blinken will see Egyptian officials as well as meet with a six-member Arab committee that includes foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Morocco and the Palestinian Authority, according to an Egyptian diplomat.
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