US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Jordan’s king Friday about how to address a looming humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip as Israel readies a US-supported offensive following deadly attacks by Hamas.
Blinken huddled with King Abdullah II as well as Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Amman at the start of a tour of six Arab countries that will also take the top US diplomat to Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
The Jordanian king, a longtime US partner, called for “opening humanitarian corridors to allow for the entry of urgent medical and relief aid to Gaza, and protecting civilians and stopping the escalation and war on Gaza,” a statement from the royal court said.
Blinken spent Thursday in Tel Aviv where he promised unwavering solidarity to US ally Israel after Hamas militants breached Israel’s southern border on Saturday, killing over 1,200 people and taking about 150 more hostage.
Israel on Friday called on 1.1 million people to move south in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, which is already under an Israeli blockade. Israel has killed more than 1,530 people in strikes in the Gaza Strip since the Hamas attack and has cut off food, water and electricity.
Blinken spoke with King Abdullah on “ways to address the humanitarian needs of civilians in Gaza while Israel conducts legitimate security operations to defend itself from terrorism,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. US officials are working with Egypt, which also borders Gaza and was the first Arab country to make peace with Israel, on a plan for a safety corridor from Gaza.
But Jordan, home to two million Palestinian refugees, warned against permanent displacement. “The crisis should not be spread to neighbouring countries and exacerbate the refugee issue,” the king told Blinken, according to the palace.
Hamas is financially backed by US arch-enemy Iran but also has longstanding ties with US partner Qatar, which has been seen as an intermediary in freeing the hostages. “We’ll continue pressing countries to help prevent the conflict from spreading, and to use their leverage with Hamas to immediately and unconditionally release the hostages,” Blinken said late Thursday in Tel Aviv.
Saudi Arabia in the weeks before the attacks had spoken of progress in US-led diplomacy to normalise relations with Israel — a landmark step for the conservative kingdom that is guardian of Islam’s two holiest sites.
Few expect the momentum to be maintained, with the Saudis joining Qatar in blaming Israeli policies towards the Palestinians for the flare-up in violence.
– Working with Abbas –
The nearly 88-year-old Abbas, whose Palestinian Authority enjoys small levels of autonomy in the West Bank, is a sworn foe of Hamas, whose control of the Gaza Strip has led to a 17-year Israeli blockade.
Blinken entered his private residence in Amman and shook hands next to a painting that depicted the veteran Palestinian leader superimposed in front of Islam’s holy Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.
The United States under President Joe Biden and other Democrats has largely been supportive of the Palestinian Authority, seeing it as the best option for long-term peace with Israel.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long sought to sideline the Palestinian Authority and Abbas, saying he is insufficiently committed to stopping violence, with the hard-right Israeli government rejecting the prospect of a two-state solution.
Abbas made his first public remarks on the conflict on Thursday after meeting King Abdullah.
Abbas called for “an immediate end to the comprehensive aggression against the Palestinian people” and rejected “practices related to killing civilians or abusing them on both sides”.
Blinken earlier spoke to Abbas by telephone about the attacks, urging him to condemn the violence and maintain stability in the West Bank. – Shaun TANDON, Mussa HATTAR
