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Rabat – In his third visit to Israel since the onset of the current conflict, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to Tel Aviv to emphasize America’s unwavering support for Israel.
During his meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv, Secretary Blinken reiterated Washington’s solidarity with the Jewish state as the Israeli forces continue to intensify what many observers have dubbed a punitive and genocidal war on Gaza.
“We stand strongly for the proposition that Israel not only has not only the right but the obligation to defend itself and to do everything possible that October 7 can never happen again,” he said.
According to the White House, the primary objective of this visit is to reiterate America’s support to Israel and request a “humanitarian pause” — rather than a ceasefire — in Gaza to allow humanitarian supplies to reach the besieged Palestinian enclave and enable civilians with foreign passports to evacuate.
Two days before Blinkin’s visit, Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the US Department of State, spoke emphatically of the US support for what Israel has billed as an existential, “necessary” war to “eliminate Hamas from Gaza.”
Miller said: “In Israel, Secretary Blinken will reiterate U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself.”
For almost four weeks, the 2.4 million inhabitants of the totally besieged Gaza Strip have been living under constant Israeli bombardment, with the UN and many human rights groups warning of a catastrophic humanitarian situation if Israel continues its relentless bombardment of civilian infrastructure and residential areas.
Read also: Complicity in Gaza Genocide Unmasks the West’s Moral Decay, Inherent Brutality
As Secretary of State Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv, the Israeli army continued its ground operations in Gaza and carried out further air strikes on Palestinian civilians. These Israeli attacks have taken an alarming toll: More than 9,227 Palestinians, including 3,826 children, have been killed since the start of hostilities.
The Palestinian territories, especially Gaza, have endured dire humanitarian consequences as a result of what many observers have decried as Israel’s campaign of collective punishment against Palestinians.
Essential infrastructure in Gaza has been severely damaged, while basic services have been disrupted and the lives of countless civilians have been profoundly impacted.
Various international organizations and the United Nations have called for both parties to seek a peaceful resolution and alleviate the suffering of civilians.
This visit to Tel Aviv is the first stop on the American chief diplomat’s November 2-10 tour of Amman, Tokyo, Seoul, and New Delhi.
But whether Blinken’s efforts on the diplomatic front will yield the desired results, however, remains to be seen. For many commentators and peace activists in the US and around the world, the US policy of unwavering and unconditional support for Israel makes it complicit in the ongoing situation in Gaza.
