On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared that the US will always support Israel but said that the Palestinians also have “legitimate aspirations” that were not represented by the violent organisation Hamas.
US and Israel bond
“You might be able to defend yourself on your own. But you won’t ever have to, as long as America is around. In the midst of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Blinken assured Netanyahu that “we will always be by your side.”
As the Israeli army continues to punish Hamas for the weekend bombings that left 1,200 Israelis dead, Blinken paid a solidarity visit. He also provided an updated death toll for US nationals, stating that at least 25 were confirmed among the dead.
US pledge support to Israel
President Joe Biden has pledged unflinching support for Israel and opposed using prudence against Hamas, but Blinken suggested that a final peace agreement might be necessary—a notion that has long been opposed by right-wing Netanyahu.
“Anyone seeking peace and justice must denounce Hamas’ tyranny. As far as the Palestinian people’s legitimate desires to live in security, freedom, justice, opportunity, and dignity go, we are aware that Hamas does not speak for them, as Blinken stated.
Punch reports that Blinken described his grandfather’s escape from anti-Semitic pogroms in Russia and his stepfather’s survival in Nazi detention camps in extremely personal terms.
US to meet Israel military demands
Jerrymusa.com reports that Blinken, who comes from a secular background, added, “I come before you not only as the United States secretary of state but also as a Jew.”
“As a spouse and a father of small children, I also stand before you. I can’t look at the pictures of the murdered families and not think of my own kids, like the mother, father, and three young children who were murdered in Kibbutz Nir Oz while taking refuge in their home,” he stated.
Blinken pledged that the Biden administration and Congress would work together to accommodate Israel’s military demands, which enjoy broad bipartisan support.
Israel accepts US support
We will work with Congress to ensure that Israel’s defence needs are met as they change, he said.
Netanyahu, who spoke after Blinken, expressed gratitude for US assistance and argued that Hamas, the government of the blockaded Gaza Strip, ought to be handled similarly to the Islamic State.
“Hamas will be destroyed, just as ISIS was destroyed. And Hamas ought to be dealt with in the same manner as ISIS, according to Netanyahu.