US’s Blinken Meets PA’s Abbas Amid Ceasefire Calls by Arabs

 

The US secretary of state has met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah as the growing toll in Gaza angers Arabs

United States Secretary of State Anthony Blanken met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, a day after Arab leaders publicly asked him to push Israel toward a cease-fire in Gaza because The death toll has reached close to 10,000.

Al Jazeera's Bernard Smith, reporting from Ramallah, said the meeting between Blanken and Abbas lasted less than an hour.

"There was no statement from either side at the end of the meeting. We know that Abbas would have called for a cease-fire, as other Arab leaders have already said. But Blankenship rejected those requests and The same will happen with Abbas," Smith said.

The mounting casualties have put U.S. diplomatic efforts under further scrutiny from its Arab allies, who are frustrated by the worsening humanitarian situation in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Israel, which continues its military offensive on Gaza, killed more than 50 people in airstrikes late Saturday.

During a news conference in Amman, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi asserted that Arab countries wanted an immediate ceasefire, warning that "the entire region is drowning in a sea of ​​hatred that will define generations to come."

"We don't accept that this is self-defense," Safadi said, referring to Israel's month-long offensive on Gaza that has killed at least 9,488 Palestinians, There are about more than one of them are children.

It cannot be justified under any pretext and it will not bring security to Israel, it will not bring peace to the region.

Rare Public Split

In a rare public split with his Jordanian counterpart, Blanken said the U.S. was opposed to a cease-fire because it would give Hamas more breathing room.

"It's our view now that a cease-fire will only leave Hamas in place, able to regroup and repeat," he said on Oct. 7, referring to the group's surprise attack in southern Israel. In which about 1,400 Israelis were killed, most of them civilians. According to Israeli officials.

Blankenship, on his third visit to the region in less than a month, tried to tread the diplomatic path, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a temporary "humanitarian pause" and calling for the protection of Palestinian civilians, while Also clashed with Arab leaders who are pushing. For a complete ceasefire.

Blanken's call for a "humanitarian pause" was considered too weak by Arab leaders, and was rejected by Netanyahu, who insisted that Israel's offensive must continue with "full force."

"I made it clear that we continue to operate with full force and that Israel rejects a temporary ceasefire that does not include the release of our hostages," Netanyahu said in a televised statement on Saturday.

Israel apparently drove that message home by bombing several UN-run schools and refugee centers during Blanken's visit. The latest - an attack on the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza on Sunday morning - killed at least 47 people.

'Yes to War'

Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem, said: "It's clear the US is unhappy with how it's handling this."

"If this crisis continues, especially on the humanitarian side, and if this crisis takes us back to the old containment policy before October 7, I think the American role here, right or wrong, should be forgotten. will, but it won't be seen as effective," said Anwar Girgash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president.

Al Jazeera political analyst Marwan Bashara argued that Blankenship's calls for a "humanitarian pause" without more serious pressure to rein in Israel were hollow.

"What does a humanitarian pause mean?" asked Bushra. "It means you give us a few minutes to start bombing again. How is that helpful? How does it bring peace? Reestablishes? How will this end the bloodshed?"

"When Blankenship repeatedly says 'no to a ceasefire,' he is saying 'yes' to war," Bashara added. have been."

Meeting with Abbas

Blanken was set for another diplomatic test on Sunday as he prepared to meet Abbas in Ramallah, his first visit to the occupied West Bank since the war began.

He previously floated the idea of ​​the Palestinian Authority (PA) taking on a future governance role in Gaza as a way out of the conflict.

"At some point, what makes the most sense is for an effective and revitalized Palestinian Authority to assume responsibility for governance and ultimately security for Gaza," Blanken said.

He is due to visit Turkey on Sunday and will also meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been rebuilding ties with Israel before the Gaza war.

Their relationship appears to have soured due to Erdogan's strong pro-Palestinian stance and admonition of Israel's warlike behavior.

"Netanyahu is no longer someone we can talk to. We have finished him," Turkish media quoted Erdogan as saying on Saturday, after Ankara recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv.

Israel's Foreign Minister reacted to this move by saying that Erdogan has chosen to side with Hamas over Israel.