Blinken emphasises ‘ironclad’ support for Israel in meeting with Herzog
The US State Department says Secretary of State Antony Blinken renewed support for Israel and stressed the necessity of an agreement on Gaza during a meeting earlier today with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv.
“The Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region,” Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a statement.
“The Secretary reiterated the urgent need to finalise the ceasefire agreement that would release the hostages, allow a surge of humanitarian assistance, and create the conditions for broader regional stability.”
But not for a permanent ceasefire nor conditions for the end of the occupation... Blinken just wants Gaza out of the news and not be dragged into a war with Iran. He doesn't give a crap about Gaza, West Bank, Assassinations, Torture camps, Apartheid, Ethnic cleansing, Racism, Terrorist Settler attacks, Ironclad support!
US’s Blinken warns it could be last chance for ceasefire
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is holding a press briefing after meetings with Israeli officials in Tel Aviv.
Here are some of the points he has made so far:
- Israel has accepted a US-backed bridging proposal for a ceasefire and says it is also “incumbent” on Hamas to do the same.
- The meeting with Netanyahu was “very constructive”.
- The US reaffirmed its commitment to Israel’s security with Blinken saying: “That’s a commitment that we put into practice virtually every day since October 7.”
- He will soon travel to Egypt and Qatar to push for a Gaza ceasefire.
Netanyahu says he aims to free ‘maximum’ living captives in first exchange
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he sought to free a “maximum number” of captives still held in Gaza in the first stage of a possible ceasefire deal with Hamas.
“I would like to emphasise: The efforts to release a maximum number of living hostages – already in the first stage of the deal”, Netanyahu said in a video statement posted on X after meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
More evidence Netanyahu isn't interested in phase 2 at all, back to war right after phase 1 is all Netanyahu ever wanted to commit to.
What’s the latest on the ceasefire talks?
Speaking in Tel Aviv after meeting Netanyahu, Blinken said the Israeli leader, who has consistently said he will not agree to a deal that would bring the war to an end without the destruction of Hamas, has agreed to a “bridging proposal” put forward by the US.
Hamas has insisted that a ceasefire deal must result in a permanent end to the war in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
The US news outlet Axios reported on Sunday that Hamas said the US proposal would give Israeli forces control of the Netzarim Corridor, which divides north Gaza from south Gaza, as well as the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and the Philadelphi Corridor along the border with Egypt.
This bridging proposal sounds like concessions to Netanyahu and a road to permanent occupation of Gaza.
Former Israeli PM slams Netanyahu’s stance on truce talks
Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak said Netanyahu is leading Israel into a regional war while creating a “death sentence” for Israeli captives held in Gaza.
In a post on X, Barak also criticised the current prime minister’s claim that Israel should stay in the Philadelphi Corridor, saying there was “no political interest” for Israel in seizing the demilitarised zone along both sides of the Israel-Egypt border.
