Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return to the Middle East later this week on his fifth urgent diplomatic mission since I srael’s war with Hamas began in October, the White House and a State Department official said Wednesday. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby and the State Department official said Blinken would travel to the Mideast this weekend as part of the Biden administration’s efforts to prepare for post-conflict reconstruction and governance of Gaza, ramp up humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, release hostages held by Hamas and prevent the war from spreading.
Quick Read
- Diplomatic Efforts Intensify: The Biden administration is actively engaging in diplomatic efforts to address the aftermath of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, focusing on Gaza’s reconstruction, humanitarian aid, hostage release, and regional stability.
- Blinken’s Upcoming Mideast Trip: Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit the Middle East to further these goals, with the trip planned for the weekend, though specific dates and destinations are yet to be confirmed.
- Productive Discussions: National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby highlighted recent productive talks involving CIA Director William Burns, senior officials from Israel, Egypt, and Qatar’s prime minister aimed at moving towards a ceasefire and addressing the hostage situation.
- Biden’s Engagement: President Joe Biden’s recent communication with the emir of Qatar, a key intermediary with Hamas, signifies high-level involvement in the diplomatic efforts.
- Possible Destinations: While exact stops are not finalized, Blinken’s history of visits in the region includes key countries like Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Egypt, and Gulf states, indicating potential destinations for his upcoming trip.
The Associated Press has the story:
Blinken set to return to Mideast for 5th time since Gaza conflict began
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP) —
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return to the Middle East later this week on his fifth urgent diplomatic mission since I srael’s war with Hamas began in October, the White House and a State Department official said Wednesday.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby and the State Department official said Blinken would travel to the Mideast this weekend as part of the Biden administration’s efforts to prepare for post-conflict reconstruction and governance of Gaza, ramp up humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, release hostages held by Hamas and prevent the war from spreading.
The trip comes as discussions over a cease-fire and hostage release are intensifying, but also as fears grow of a regional conflict.
“These negotiations, our negotiations, are very, very active,” Kirby said, noting talks held last weekend between CIA Director William Burns, senior Israeli and Egyptian intelligence officials and Qatar’s prime minister. “We believe that the discussions have been productive. They’ve been moving in the right direction.”
He also recalled a recent trip to the Mideast by national security council official Brett McGurk, a call between President Joe Biden and the emir of Qatar, whose country is the chief interlocutor with Hamas, and he said: Blinken “will be heading back over to the region at the end of this week.”
The State Department official said Blinken would be traveling to the Middle East “in the coming days” but could not give exact dates or destinations because the trip was still being planned. On his previous visits, Blinken has stopped in Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Iraq.
