Page 7 - Antony Blinken

New urgency hangs over Antony Blinken's trip as Israel-Hamas war resumes

Netanayhu, who had warned all along that the campaign would resume, was similarly unsparing in his description of Israel's goals

Blinken seeks new extension of Gaza cease-fire as he heads to West Asia

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the Biden administration would like to see a new extension of the cease-fire agreement in Israel's war with Hamas after the current one expires to secure the release of additional hostages held by the militant group and to ramp up humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. As he prepared to make his third visit to the Middle East since the war began with Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, Blinken said Wednesday that in addition to discussing short-term logistical and operational planning, the Biden administration believes it is imperative to discuss ideas about the future governance of Gaza if Israel achieves its stated goal of eradicating Hamas. Israel and Arab nations have resisted such discussions about future governance, with Israeli officials concentrating on the war and Arab leaders insisting the immediate priority must be ending the fighting that has killed thousands of Palestinian civilians. The extension of the current deal expires later ..

Blinken will return to Israel as US hopes to see extensions of cease-fire

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return this week to the Middle East as the US hopes to find a way to extend a cease-fire in Gaza and get more hostages released, the State Department said. It will be his third trip to the region since Israel's war with Hamas began last month. Blinken will travel to Israel and the West Bank after attending Ukraine-focused meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday in Brussels and Skopje, North Macedonia, where foreign ministers from NATO and the Organisation for Peace and Security in Europe are gathering. Israel has agreed to pauses in its military operations in exchange for the gradual release of hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7 attacks on Israel. The agreement had been due to expire Monday but was extended for an additional two days, meaning the extension will be expiring just as Blinken is arriving in Israel. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Monday the US hopes to see the pause extended further, but it is

Expect candid talk: Blinken defends Biden's 'dictator' remark for Xi

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the US will continue to say things that China doesn't like, as he defended President Joe Biden's remarks wherein called his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping a "dictator". Biden called Xi a "dictator", just hours after they met for the first time in more than a year and held candid and productive discussions to revive bilateral ties on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco on Wednesday. When pressed on whether Biden's comments were the position of the US government, Blinken responded that the president "speaks for all of us", CBS News reported. "Well, it's not exactly a secret that we have two very different systems," the commercial broadcast television quoted Blinken as saying. "And the president always speaks candidly, and he speaks for all of us." "We will continue to say things and continue to do things that China doesn't like, just as I assume that they will continue to do and say things that we

Far too many Palestinians have been killed in Gaza: Antony Blinken

Far too many Palestinians have been killed and far too many have suffered in the last few weeks, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday, in one of the most severe condemnations of the civilian death toll in Gaza due to an Israeli military offensive. At a media briefing at the end of the India-US "2+2" ministerial dialogue, the top US diplomat said more needs to be done to minimise the harm to Palestinian civilians, in remarks that came amid a growing outcry over the death of innocent civilians in Gaza. "Far too many Palestinians have been killed, far too many have suffered these past weeks. And we want to do everything possible to prevent harm to them and to maximise the assistance that gets to them," Blinken said. "To that end, we will be continuing to discuss with Israel concrete steps that can be taken to advance these objectives. We will continue to focus relentlessly on getting our hostages home," he added. Israel has been carrying out a massive military offensive

EAM Jaishankar, Blinken discuss situation in West Asia, Indo-Pacific

The situation arising out of the Hamas-Israel conflict and ways to further deepen the India-US strategic partnership figured in talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday morning. The Jaishankar-Blinken meeting took place ahead of the fifth edition of India-US '2+2' defence and foreign ministerial ministerial dialogue. In a post on 'X', the external affairs minister described his talks with his US counterpart as "open and productive". "Pleased to meet with Secretary of State @SecBlinken this morning. An open and productive conversation on further developing our strategic partnership. Also spoke about West Asia, Indo-Pacific and other regional issues," he said. In the last couple of weeks, the US Secretary of State has been engaged in hectic diplomacy on the Israel-Hamas war. Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin are in Delhi for the '2+2' dialogue which is aimed at taking forward India-US futuristic roadmap for .

India-US 2+2 dialogue: Jaishankar meets US State Secy Blinken for key talks

The 2+2 dialogue will provide a platform for top-level discussions between the US and India, addressing critical bilateral and global matters.

US Secretary of State Blinken arrives in Delhi for 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Blinken's visit will give further boost to India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership

US, S Korea close ranks on common global issues during Blinken visit

The United States and South Korea closed ranks behind common approaches to North Korea, Russia and China on Thursday, vowing to continue to support Ukraine against Russia's invasion and boosting humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza caught in Israel's war against Hamas. In talks with South Korea's leadership, including President Yoon Suk Yeol , US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the growing threat posed by North Korea and its alleged provision of military equipment and munitions to Russia to help it wage war on Ukraine, the State Department said. They also spoke of the importance of US-South Korea cooperation on global challenges, including China's assertiveness and the instability in the Middle East. They shared concerns about the DPRK's provocations in the region and strongly condemned the provision of military equipment and munitions by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the Russian Federation for use in its war against Ukraine, the State ...

US Secy of State Blinken visits South Korea; Russia-N Korean ties in focus

Heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, suspected North Korean cooperation with Russia in its war on Ukraine and concerns about China's growing aggressiveness are topping U .S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's agenda as he visits South Korea. Blinken was in Seoul on Thursday for talks with South Korea's leadership following a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Japan on Wednesday in which the group previewed much of what he will discuss. The G7 strongly condemned North Korea's ballistic missile tests as well as its alleged arms transfers to Russia, which are both in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions against the North. Even before Blinken's arrival, North Korea's official news agency, the Korean Central News Agency, condemned the visit as well as one by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who travels to Seoul next week, describing them as warmongers bringing a new war cloud to Asia. Tensions between the Koreas are at their highest point years as the pace of both

2+2 dialogue to focus on deepening security cooperation: State department

The India-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue in New Delhi this week will focus on deepening security cooperation between the two countries, the State Department said Wednesday ahead of the crucial meeting of foreign and defense ministers from India and the United States. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar would host their American counterparts Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Tony Blinken on November 10. "India is a country that we have a deep partnership (with). He (Blinken) will be going for the 2+2 security dialogue with Secretary of Defense Austin, so I expect, of course, that deepening the security cooperation and partnership will be one of the many topics that are discussed," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters at his daily news conference. "It was something that was obviously raised during Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's state visit earlier this year, and I know the Secretary looks forward to .

Blinken urges united future Palestinian govt for Gaza and West Bank

Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Wednesday for a united and Palestinian-led government for Gaza and the West Bank after the war ends, as a step toward Palestinian statehood. That vision sharpens U.S. differences with ally Israel on what the future should look like for the Palestinian territories once Israel's military campaign against Hamas winds down. Blinken's outline of what Americans think should come next for Gaza also serves as a check on the postwar scenarios floated by officials of Israel's hard-right government and its supporters. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement Monday that Israel's military would likely maintain security control of Gaza for an indefinite period" appears to have heightened U.S. concerns. Any postwar governing plan for Gaza must include Palestinian-led governance and Gaza unified with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority, Blinken told reporters in Japan. He and other top diplomats of the Group of Seven leading industrial ...

Hamas war: G7 announces unified stance supporting Israel after Tokyo meet

Top diplomats from the Group of Seven leading industrial democracies announced a unified stance on the Israel-Hamas war on Wednesday after intensive meetings in Tokyo, condemning Hamas, supporting Israel's right to self-defence and calling for humanitarian pauses to speed aid to desperate Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. In a statement, the nations sought to balance criticism of Hamas' attacks against Israel and a push for urgent action to help civilians in the besieged Palestinian enclave in need of food, water, medical care and shelter. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and foreign ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Italy emphasised that they support humanitarian pauses to facilitate urgently needed assistance, civilian movement and release of hostages. There was also condemnation of the rise in extremist settler violence committed against Palestinians, which the ministers said is unacceptable, undermines security in the West Bank, and threatens

Blinken arrives in Turkey for another key meeting amid Israel-Hamas war

Turkey happens to be his last stop in the region before heading to Asia

Israel-Hamas war: Blinken meets Palestinian leader amid escalating tensions

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken brought his frenetic Mideast diplomatic push on the Israel-Hamas war to the occupied West Bank on Sunday, meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his latest bid to ease civilian suffering in the Gaza Strip and begin to sketch out a post-conflict scenario for the territory. Blinken travelled to Ramallah for his previously unannounced visit in an armoured motorcade and under tight security just hours after Israeli warplanes struck a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 40 people and wounding dozens, health officials said. Despite the secrecy and the State Department refusing to confirm the trip until after Blinken had physically left the West Bank, protests erupted against his visit and US support for Israel as word of his arrival leaked. Aside from pleasantries, neither man spoke as they greeted each other in front of cameras and the meeting ended without any public comment. It was not immediately clear if the lack of words

Israel-Hamas conflict: Blinken reiterates US stance on Gaza ceasefire

Instead of endorsing a ceasefire, Blinken emphasised the importance of "humanitarian pauses," a concept that has faced opposition from Israeli officials, as reported by CNN

Conditions in Gaza must improve to have 'partners for peace': US to Israel

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Israel on Friday that it risks destroying an eventual possibility for peace unless it acts swiftly to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza for Palestinian civilians as it intensifies its war against Hamas. In a blunt call for Israel to pause military operations in the territory to allow for the immediate and increased delivery of assistance, Blinken said the current situation would drive Palestinians toward further radicalism and effectively end prospects for any eventual resumption of peace talks to end the conflict. There will be no partners for peace if they're consumed by humanitarian catastrophe and alienated by any perceived indifference to their plight," Blinken said, even as the call for a temporary pause without the release by Hamas of Israeli hostages was swiftly rejected by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said Israel would be going with full steam ahead." The comments to reporters in Tel Aviv, following meetings with .

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US Secretary of State Blinken lands in Israel to push for pause in war

Hamas decision was right, wise and courageous, said Hezbollah leader

74 US dual nationals left Gaza Strip as Blinken goes to Mideast, says Biden

President Joe Biden said Thursday that 74 U.S. citizens with dual citizenship have left the Gaza Strip, announcing the development as he dispatched his top diplomat to the Middle East for consultation with Israeli and Jordanian leaders concerning the Israel-Hamas war. We got out today 74 American folks out that are dual citizens," Biden said in a brief exchange with reporters as he hosted Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader for an Oval Office meeting. The White House has previously said some 500 to 600 U.S. citizens had been trapped in Gaza since the start of the Oct. 7 Israel-Hamas war. Since then, the nearly four-week-old conflict continues to rage on with no end in sight. The administration said earlier this week that a handful of Americans were among dozens of dual citizens who were able to get out of the Strip where a humanitarian crisis is unfolding. Biden made the announcement as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken set off for another frenzied trip to the Middle Eas