Blinken to build bonds in Mideast
Josef Federman
The Associated Press
JERUSALEM Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday announced plans to reopen a key diplomatic outreach office to the Palestinians and pledged nearly $40 million in new aid reversing key policies of the Trump administration as he moved to bolster the embattled Palestinian government in the West Bank.
On his first official visit to the region, Blinken met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders with the immediate aim of shoring up last week’s cease-fire that ended 11 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. He vowed to “rally international support” for the effort while also promising to ensure that none of the aid would reach Hamas.
Blinken was scheduled to hold talks Wednesday with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, Foreign Minister Sameh Shukry and the country’s chief spy Abbas Kamel.
Blinken meets with Abbas, says rebuilding Gaza should not benefit Hamas middleeasteye.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from middleeasteye.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting Egypt as part of an effort to shore up a cease-fire that ended days of fighting between Israel and the Hamas militant group. He held talks on Tuesday with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Egypt on Wednesday on the next leg of a diplomatic mission aimed at shoring up a cease-fire that ended an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas.