United States: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his latest urgent Mideast tour on Thursday with talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as American officials claimed modest success in gaining broad regional support for planning for Gaza reconstruction and governance after Israel’s war with Hamas ended.
Key Allies Onboard
Blinken obtained buy-in from previously reluctant Arab and Muslim states to begin such planning during conversations with the presidents of Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain during the weeklong tour, his fourth to the Middle East since the conflict began in October.
Each country — along with Greece, which Blinken also visited — pledged to participate in the general planning, although precise contributions have yet to be determined.
“On our previous trips here, I think there was a reluctance to talk about some of the day-after issues in terms of long-term stability and security on a regional basis,” Blinken told reporters at Cairo’s airport after his meeting with El-Sisi. “But now we’re finding that our partners are very focused on that and wanting to engage on those questions.”
“They’re also clearly prepared to take steps to do things, to make commitments necessary both for Gaza’s future and for long-term peace and security of the region,” Blinken said.
Arab support, however, is predicated not only on the resolution of the conflict but also on the construction of a road for the foundation of an independent Palestinian state, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects.
Crucial Summit Highlights
US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to detail confidential diplomatic discussions, said Blinken’s contacts in Israel on Tuesday were the most challenging of the trip. However, they said that the talks were successful in convincing Israel to allow a United Nations inspection team to visit northern Gaza to determine if it is safe for civilians who fled the Israeli offensive to return.
According to the report by the Associated Press, The reform of the Palestinian Authority is also critical to the plan, and it was the major agenda item at a summit held Wednesday in Aqaba between el-Sisi, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
“We have a commitment from the Palestinian Authority to pursue meaningful reform,” Blinken told reporters.
Officials stated that the changes would include the formation of a new technocratic government, a crackdown on corruption, judicial reform, and the relaxation of media restrictions.
“The other path is to continue to see the terrorism, the denialism, and the destruction by Hamas, by the Houthis, by Hezbollah, all backed by Iran,” Blinken said in a statement.
Blinken’s Vision
Blinken believes that strengthening Israel’s security and establishing a Palestinian state are the best ways to deter attacks by Iran’s regional proxies, such as Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis, and different militias that have targeted US and international targets in Iraq and Syria. The current crisis has galvanized Arab backing to find a long-term solution that bolsters Israel’s security, creates a Palestinian state, and isolates Iran and its proxies.
Associated Press reported that “There’s a path that brings Israel’s needs and desires for integration in the region and genuine security with the Palestinian aspirations for a state of their own,” Blinken said.
“You can’t have one without the other, and you can’t have either without a regional commitment to advancing on both tracks.” He added there is “a greater willingness now of countries to make the hard decisions and do what’s necessary to advance on that track.”