Portrait of Antony Blinken
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Antony Blinken on Ceasefire

Conditioned support for deal (strong)

TL;DR

Antony Blinken stated the US was nearly done with a Gaza ceasefire deal before a change in administration slowed progress.

Key Points

  • Stated that the US and partners were ready with a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal framework before the Trump administration took office.

  • Argued that for normalization (e.g., Saudi Arabia and Israel) to proceed, it requires an end to the Gaza conflict and a Palestinian state pathway.

  • Expressed that more global focus should have been directed toward demanding Hamas lay down its arms and release hostages.

Summary

Antony Blinken asserted that America and its partners were "85% of the way" to finalizing a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal before the transition to a new administration. He indicated that the Biden administration, working with Israeli and Arab officials, had developed a comprehensive plan for post-conflict Gaza that included transitional security and administration with Arab partners. Blinken stressed that moving forward with normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel required both an end to the Gaza conflict and a credible pathway toward a Palestinian state.

He expressed frustration that a previously agreed upon six-week negotiation period following the initial framework had "fizzled out," noting the resulting six months of further suffering. The former Secretary of State also emphasized that for the conflict to reach a sustainable resolution, more international pressure needed to be applied to Hamas to accept terms like laying down arms and releasing hostages. He maintained confidence that the necessary elements for a lasting truce and regional integration were ultimately achievable if leaders made difficult decisions.

Key Quotes

“The 'there' is having transitional arrangements with Arabs and others playing a full part in security and administration in reconstruction in partnership with Palestinians, and then ultimately handing over to Palestinians.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Antony Blinken has strongly supported efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, noting the US and its partners had nearly finalized a deal. His position is conditioned on Hamas accepting terms, including releasing hostages and ceasing attacks.

Yes, the former Secretary of State indicated that progress on a ceasefire deal stalled after the previous administration ended, stating they were "85% of the way" there previously. He lamented the subsequent suffering during a six-month period without a durable truce.

Antony Blinken linked a lasting truce to broader regional integration goals. He maintained that achieving normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia is contingent upon ending the Gaza conflict and establishing a credible path to a Palestinian state.