The United States Secretary of States, Anthony Bliken, has dimisssed as counterproductive, a suggestion by Arab leaders seeking an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during a press conference held in Amman, Jordan.
Blinken, who was on his second tour to the Middle East since the start of the conflict, held a joint press conference with his Jordanian and Egyptian counterparts after meeting with leaders from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority. The meeting aimed to address the protection of civilians in Gaza and improve aid flows to the territory, which has been under continuous bombardment by Israel.
The Arab leaders expressed their concern over the loss of Palestinian civilian lives in the Israel-Hamas conflict and urged Blinken to persuade Israel to agree to a ceasefire.
However, Blinken disagreed, stating that a ceasefire at this point could allow Hamas militants to regroup and launch further attacks.
The Arab ministers condemned Israel’s tactics in the conflict, rejecting the justification for collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza as self-defense.
They emphasized the need to stop the ongoing violence to prevent further suffering for both Palestinians and Israelis and to avoid further escalation of hatred.
Despite their differences, Blinken acknowledged Arab concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza and the risks the conflict poses to Israel’s standing in the region.
He also raised the issue of escalating violence against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank and called for accountability for the perpetrators.
Blinken is expected to continue his diplomatic efforts by traveling to Turkey for meetings with Turkish officials.
Meanwhile, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported a significant loss of life in an Israeli bombardment of Gaza’s Maghazi camp, located in the central Gaza Strip, with a large number of casualties, mostly women and children.
The situation remains highly complex and unresolved as diplomatic efforts continue to find a path towards peace and stability in the region.
By xamse
November 5, 2023
