One Month of the Israel-Palestine War... US Blinken's Surprise Visit to the West Bank and Meeting with Palestinian Authority Leader

Tony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, who embarked on a Middle East diplomatic tour, made a surprise visit to the West Bank of Palestine and met with the head of the Palestinian Authority (PA). This move aims to prevent the risk of escalation due to Arab involvement amid Israel’s ongoing ground operations and the sharp increase in civilian casualties.

According to major foreign media including The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 5th (local time), Secretary Blinken visited Ramallah, the central city in the West Bank, and held talks with PA President Mahmoud Abbas. Previously, Blinken had sequentially visited Israel and Amman, Jordan, but the West Bank was not on his itinerary. The meeting between Blinken and Abbas lasted less than an hour, and no joint statement was issued afterward.

The U.S. State Department stated in a brief press release after the meeting that Secretary Blinken reaffirmed America’s commitment to humanitarian aid and the resumption of essential services in the Gaza Strip. Abbas, according to his spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh, mentioned the need for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the expansion of relief efforts in Gaza. The Washington Post (WP) reported that the absence of a joint statement signals that there may be disagreements over the outcome of the talks.

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken held a joint press conference after meeting with Middle Eastern foreign ministers in Amman, Jordan, on the 4th (local time).
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Secretary Blinken made it clear that Palestinian residents should not be forcibly displaced and emphasized that the U.S. is working to equally promote the dignity and security of both Palestinian and Israeli peoples. He also pledged to strive to realize the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The State Department said that Blinken and Abbas also discussed the need to stop violence by Israeli extremists against Palestinians in the West Bank and to hold those responsible accountable.

Blinken proposed the efficient reorganization and revitalization of the PA to ideally govern Gaza post-conflict. However, Matthew Miller, a spokesperson, said that temporarily, other countries and international organizations would play roles in security and governance after the conflict.

A senior U.S. State Department official conveyed the atmosphere, saying, "Secretary Blinken told President Abbas that the PA should have a role regarding the future of Gaza," adding, "Although Gaza’s future was not the main topic of today’s meeting, the PA showed willingness to take on that role."

President Abbas expressed that for the PA to govern Gaza again in the future, a comprehensive political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is necessary. Abbas stated, "We will assume our responsibilities within the framework of a comprehensive political solution for the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip."

Earlier, U.S. President Joe Biden visited Israel early in the conflict and brokered an agreement to open the Rafah crossing connecting Gaza and Egypt, but it was insufficient to halt Israel’s retaliatory operations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clearly rejected the U.S. demand for a temporary ceasefire, placing the Biden administration’s Middle East diplomacy in a difficult position.

This visit took place just hours after Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza refugee camps, with Blinken traveling under tight security in an armed convoy. This was Blinken’s third visit to Israel since the Israel-Hamas war began, following visits on October 12 and 16.

Blinken’s visit was kept confidential until he left the West Bank, but some residents protested against U.S. support for Israel during his visit. Meanwhile, Blinken stopped over in Cyprus en route to his next destination, T?rkiye. At Larnaca Airport, he met with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to discuss Cyprus’s proposal to establish a maritime aid corridor to Gaza.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military, continuing its ground operations to eliminate the Palestinian armed faction Hamas, has completely encircled Gaza City. Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said at a briefing that "our forces have fully surrounded Gaza City and divided this coastal city into two." The daily Haaretz reported that the Israeli military is expected to begin urban warfare within Gaza City in the next 48 hours.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.