Blinken’s diplomatic tour to focus on stabilization in Middle East

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken arrives in Saudi Arabia as part of his Middle East tour to discuss post-conflict Gaza governance and urge Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Saudi Arabia on Monday as part of an extensive tour of the Middle East. His agenda includes discussions on Gaza’s administration post the recent conflict with Israel.

Blinken will later visit Israel, where he plans to urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take concrete steps to improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

In Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia, Blinken is scheduled to meet with senior Saudi leaders and hold a broader meeting with his counterparts from five Arab countries to discuss the post-war management of Gaza.

They are also expected to discuss how Arab countries and Europe can contribute to the reconstruction effort in Gaza.

The reconstruction and governance of Gaza are ongoing topics of discussion, although no clear mechanism is yet in place. The U.S. aims to marginalize Hamas in the future of Gaza without Israel reoccupying the territory.

The U.S. instead envisions a structure that includes a reformed Palestinian Authority with the support of Arab states.

Normalization talks: Saudi Arabia-Israel

During his visit, Blinken will also discuss normalization efforts between Saudi Arabia and Israel, including defense and security agreements. But this normalization depends on Israel accepting a path to a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu opposes.

After Saudi Arabia, Blinken will visit Jordan and Israel, focusing on improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza. He will meet with Jordanian officials and humanitarian groups to assess progress and discuss next steps.

The visit comes after President Biden warned Israel of possible policy changes if it does not take steps to address the civilian casualties and humanitarian suffering in Gaza. While recognizing Israel’s recent measures to improve the humanitarian situation, U.S. officials believe further action is needed.

Source: Reuters