US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to hold talks Wednesday with the head of the Palestinian Authority, which Washington hopes could govern Gaza after Israel’s war with Hamas ends. The United States’ top diplomat was on his fourth crisis visit to the Middle East since the war in the Gaza Strip began, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
Blinken told a news conference afterwards that the United States would continue to support its ally, but also called on Israel to do more to protect those trapped in the besieged Palestinian territory, saying the “daily toll on civilians in Gaza, particularly children, is far too high”.
Washington has floated a post-war scenario in which a reformed Palestinian Authority, currently led by president Mahmud Abbas, governs Gaza in addition to the West Bank. The authority currently exercises limited rule in the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967.
“Israel must stop taking steps that undercut Palestinians’ ability to govern themselves effectively,” Blinken said Tuesday, emphasising the importance of progress towards a two-state solution. The Palestinian Authority also has a responsibility to reform itself, to improve its governance — issues I plan to raise with president Abbas,” he added.
Netanyahu, however, has shown no interest in reviving negotiations towards a Palestinian state, and a post-war plan outlined by Defence Minister Yoav Gallant envisions local “civil committees” governing Gaza after Israel has dismantled Hamas. Blinken declined to say whether Netanyahu’s views had shifted in their discussions.
Source: eNCA
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