Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. Secretary Blinken discussed ongoing efforts to accelerate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, including through maximizing humanitarian pauses. The Secretary condemned extremist violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and said he would continue to insist on full accountability for those responsible. Secretary Blinken and President Abbas also spoke about the urgent need for measures to improve security and freedom for Palestinians in the West Bank. The Secretary reiterated that the United States remains committed to advancing tangible steps for a Palestinian state.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli War Cabinet in Jerusalem. The Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ support for Israel’s right to protect itself from terrorist violence in compliance with international humanitarian law and urged Israel to take every possible measure to avoid civilian harm.
Secretary Blinken and Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages. They also spoke about the need to accelerate the delivery of critical, life-saving humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The Secretary stressed the imperative of accounting for humanitarian and civilian protection needs in southern Gaza before any military operations there and urged immediate steps to hold settler extremists accountable for violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Secretary Blinken reiterated that the United States remains committed to tangible steps to advance a Palestinian state living in peace, freedom, and security alongside Israel.
