U.S. Secretary of State John Blinken flew into Tel Aviv on Tuesday morning, May 25, to begin a Middle East tour that he hopes will cement a truce between Israel and Palestinian Hamas and discuss economic aid to Gaza after more than a decade of bloody conflict.
In a joint press conference with Blinken today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of a very strong Israeli response if Hamas, the Islamist movement that rules the Gaza Strip, violates a cease-fire that has been in effect since Friday. Blinken, for his part, reiterated his “full support for Israel’s right to self-defense.
Earlier, U.S. President Joe Biden had pledged significant financial assistance for Gaza’s reconstruction, raising concerns that Hamas has used international aid to grow in the past.
We will work closely with our partners to ensure that Hamas does not benefit from reconstruction aid,” Blinken said at a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem today.
Blinken will hold talks with Palestinian Authority President Abbas today in Ramallah in the West Bank. But Abbas does not control the Gaza Strip, which is run by Hamas.
In addition, Blinken will visit Egypt and Jordan, two countries seen as key players in the stability of the Middle East.
On Monday, Blinken said on his Twitter account that the goal of his trip was to “support efforts to consolidate the cease-fire. President Joe Biden, for his part, said his secretary of state should mention (the United States’) strong support for Israel’s security during his current trip to the Middle East” and continue to promote his “administration’s efforts to rebuild relations with the Palestinians.
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