US Secretary of State Antony Blinken waves upon arrival at Queen Alia International Airport, in the Jordanian capital Amman, on May 26, 2021. (Alex Brandon/POOL/AFP)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Jordan Wednesday, wrapping up a two-day Mideast tour that aimed to shore up an Egypt-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian terror groups in Gaza.
After meeting Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi whom he praised for helping bring an end to the intense violence “relatively quickly” he flew to Jordan, where half of the 10 million-strong population is of Palestinian origin.
Blinken met King Abdullah II, following two days of regional talks including with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders to throw Washington’s support behind the truce that ended 11 days of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into Israel and heavy Israeli retaliatory airstrikes.
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is headed to the region Monday to work on a peace deal between Israel and Palestinians after two weeks of fighting.Alex Brandon/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
After four years of President Donald Trump tilting U.S. policy toward Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken seems intent on a reset.
In his first swing through the Middle East, America s new top diplomat tried to resume the United States historic role as powerbroker and peacemaker between the Israelis and Palestinians, even as he and President Joe Biden have been looking to pivot American attention away from the Mideast.
Opinion: Biden's conduct during the latest round of fighting in Gaza reassured Jerusalem that it will have Washington's support no matter what, but in return will have to align with U.S. efforts to rewrite the reality in the region