Page 8 - Antony Blinken

US has Israel's back, but has responsibility to protect civilians: Blinken

"Hamas deliberately uses civilians as human shields and puts weaponry underneath schools and hospitals making the task incredibly challenging but one has to rise to that responsibility," said Blinken

Blinken will enter diplomatic maelstrom over Gaza war on new Mideast trip

Just weeks after a frenzied trip to the Middle East, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the region with a somewhat more nuanced message than he offered in the immediate aftermath of Hamas' bloody October 7 attack on Israel and Israel's military response. As he did last month, Blinken will stress U.S. support for Israel and try to prevent a wider Mideast war as he visits Israel and Jordan starting on Friday. But Blinken's agenda this time is more crowded and more complex as the conflict intensifies and the Biden administration grapples with competing domestic and international interests and anger. He'll push for the evacuation of more foreigners from Gaza and more humanitarian aid for the territory. He'll press Israel to rein in violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank committed by Jewish settlers. And, he'll stress the importance of protecting civilians even though the administration has yet to offer any criticism of Israel for strikes that have killed

Blinken and Austin to travel to India for 2 plus 2 ministerial dialogue

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin would be travelling to India for the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with their Indian counterparts External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi this month, the State Department has said. In a statement issued on Wednesday, State Department Sokesperson Matthew Miller said that Blinken's trip to India comes at the end of a more than a week-long trip November 2 to November 10 beginning with Israel and Jordan, following which he would continue with his Indo-Pacific travels to Japan, S Korea and India. The exact dates of his trips to these countries have not been announced. In New Delhi, the US delegation will participate in the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. The delegation will meet with Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh, and other senior Indian officials to discuss both bilateral and global concerns and developments in the Indo-Pacific, ..

US, Israel weigh peacekeepers for Gaza strip after Hamas amid war

"Between those shoals are a variety of possible permutations that we're looking at very closely now, as are other countries," Blinken said

US State Secy Blinken to visit Israel on Friday as war with Hamas continues

On October 16, Antony Blinken arrived in Israel, the second time within a few days, to pledge support for the country as it continued its counter-offensive against Hamas

US announces fresh sanctions on eight individuals with Hamas connections

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced that the United States is imposing fresh sanctions on eight individuals who have ties to Hamas, including those who played significant roles in "facilitating sanctions evasion by Hamas-affiliated companies".He also said that four entities with ties to Hamas and other designated terrorist organisations are also being sanctioned."We are imposing sanctions on eight individuals with ties to Hamas, including those who have played key roles in facilitating sanctions evasion by Hamas-affiliated companies, as well as sanctioning four entities for their ties to Hamas & other designated terrorist organisations," posted Blinken on X.Earlier in the day, the US imposed a fresh round of sanctions targeting key Hamas-linked officials, financial networks and Iran-based organisations that were involved in the funding of the terror group.The US Treasury Department informed about the sanctions following the October 7 attacks on Israel by ...

US Secy Antony Blinken meets Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Washington

The meeting was part of a reciprocal visit following Blinken's travel to Beijing and recent meetings as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open communication and responsibly manage US-China relations

Terror acts by LeT in Mumbai or Hamas in Kibbutz Be'eri unlawful: Blinken

Drawing a parallel between terrorist attacks by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba in Mumbai and by Hamas in Israel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said that all acts of terrorism are "unlawful and unjustifiable" and the Security Council must denounce member states that arm, fund and train terrorist groups. Blinken made the remarks while addressing the Security Council ministerial meeting on the situation in the Middle East following the October 7 attack on Israel by Gaza-based Hamas militants. "We must affirm the right of any nation to defend itself and to prevent such horror from repeating itself. No member of this Council, no nation in this entire body could or would tolerate the slaughter of its people, Blinken told the UN Security Council here. In his remarks, Blinken drew a parallel between the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel and the Pakistan-based terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba in Mumbai. "As this Council and the UN General Assembly have repeatedl

China's Wang Yi to visit US from Oct 26-28, to hold talks with Blinken

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit the US on Thursday for a three-day visit and hold talks with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, a part of the Biden administration's efforts to maintain an open channel of communications with Beijing. Blinken will host his Chinese counterpart in Washington from October 26-28, the State Department said in a press release on Monday. The two will discuss a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues as part of ongoing efforts to manage the US-China relationship responsibly and maintain open channels of communication, the State Department said. Ties between Washington and Beijing have become increasingly fraught lately. The two nations have been locked in an escalating trade spat since early 2018, raising import tariffs on each other's goods. The United States will continue to use diplomacy to advance US interests and values, address areas of difference, and make progress on shared transnational challenges, the press release said. Wang's

US ready to respond if personnel become targets of Israel-Hamas war: Austin

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday said the United States expects the Israel-Hamas war to escalate through involvement by proxies of Iran and asserted that the Biden administration is prepared to respond if American personnel or armed forces become the target of any such hostilities. This is not what we want, not what we're looking for. We don't want escalation, Blinken said. "We don't want to see our forces or our personnel come under fire. But if that happens, we're ready for it. Austin, echoing Blinken, said what we're seeing is a prospect of a significant escalation of attacks on our troops and our people throughout the region. He said the US has the right to self-defence and we won't hesitate to take the appropriate action. The warning from the high-ranking US officials came as Israel's military response to a deadly October 7 attack by Hamas on civilians in communities in southern Israel entered its third week. Israeli warplanes str

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Biden to travel to Israel on Oct 18 amid concern that conflict could expand

President Joe Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday to show support for the US ally as concerns increase that the raging Israel-Hamas war could expand into a larger regional conflict. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Biden's travel to Israel as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip grows more dire and as Israel prepares for a possible ground attack on the 141-square-mile (365-square-kilometre) territory to root out Hamas militants responsible for what US and Israeli officials say was the most lethal assault against Jews since the Holocaust. Biden is looking to send the strongest message yet that the US is behind Israel. His Democratic administration has pledged military support, sending US carriers and aid to the region. Officials have said they would ask Congress for upward of USD 2 billion in additional aid for both Israel and Ukraine, which is fighting Russia's invasion. Blinken made the announcement early Tuesday after more than seven hours of talks with

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Israel's US ambassador Herzog says reoccupation of Gaza is not a goal

He said a potential visit by President Joe Biden has not been finalised, but that it would send "a very strong message of support to Israel. And a deterrent message to Israel's enemies."

US Secy Blinken arrives in Tel Aviv as Israel prepares for Gaza offensive

On Sunday, the Israel Defence Forces chief said that the army will soon enter the Gaza Strip to decimate the Hamas terror group, reported The Times of Israel

Blinken voices confidence in Gaza aid delivery, Rafah crossing to reopen

"We're putting in place with the United Nations, with Egypt, with Israel, with others, a mechanism by which to get the assistance in and to get it to people who need it," he said

US stands by Israel today, tomorrow, and every day, says Blinken amid war

Highlighting his brief interaction with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his recent visit, Blinken told reporters there is a not of assistance "moving forward"

Antony Blinken to extend Middle East tour, return to Israel on Monday

Blinken held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, one of the most powerful leaders of the region, a meeting the top U.S. diplomat described as "very productive"

Antony Blinken meets Egypt President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo

US State Secretary Antony Blinken affirmed the immediate halt of Hamas attacks on Israel and de-escalation of war

In first call with Palestinian prez, Biden talks support for aid to Gaza

President Joe Biden on Saturday spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging the leaders to allow humanitarian aid to the region and affirmed his support for efforts to protect civilians. The weekend calls in Washington came as the US said it was moving up a second carrier strike group in support of Israel, while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken intensified diplomatic outreach across the Middle East and beyond to rally an international response to prevent the Israel-Hamas war from expanding. Blinken met with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh before stopping in the United Arab Emirates as he sought ways to help civilians trapped in between the fighting and to address the growing humanitarian crisis. He also called his Chinese counterpart as Palestinians struggled to flee from areas of Gaza targeted by the Israeli military before an expected land offensive. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as wel