United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, arrived in Saudi Arabia this Monday (5), the first stop on his current trip to the Middle East. He seeks to make progress on several issues, such as the hostage agreement, the post-war future of Gaza and the attempt to ensure that the war between Israel and Hamas does not turn into an even larger regional conflict.
This is his fifth trip to the Middle East since the October 7 attacks. US officials recognize that a deal cannot move forward without a two-state solution.
Agreement to release hostages and stop fighting
The senior State Department official said it is “impossible” to predict whether and when there will be a breakthrough in negotiations. “It's one of those things we don't know, because the 'ball' is now in Hamas' court,” the official said.
Preventing a wider regional conflict
Blinken will again argue that US actions in the region have been defensive, not aggressive. Late last week, the US launched strikes against Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for a deadly attack on an American base in Jordan. They continued with a series of attacks against the targeted Houthis.
More aid for Gaza
“We are talking to Israelis every day about a number of different humanitarian issues, and we are making progress on them. But to make real progress on some of the big issues, one of two things has to happen: the Secretary has to show up or the President has to get on the phone with the Prime Minister. So whenever we go to Israel, we bring a list of things we're trying to promote,” the senior State Department official said.
Yet despite Blinken's numerous in-person visits, the Israeli offensive in Gaza continues to intensify after nearly four months, the number of casualties remains high, and US post-war intentions in Gaza have been repeatedly and publicly rejected by the government. by Benjamin Netanyahu.
This Monday, Blinken will also continue discussing the prospects for normalizing diplomatic ties between the Saudis and Israelis.
Source: CNN Brasil
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