According to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israel is moving further away from reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians as a result of the growth of Israeli settlements and the continued destruction of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank.
But he emphasized that the connection between the United States and Israel is “iron-clad,” praised American security commitments to the Jewish state, and declared that the Biden administration will continue to push for normalization between Israel and its Arab neighbors, notably Saudi Arabia.
He also made plain the administration’s opposition to the measures taken by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government, including the expansion of Jewish settlements and an increase in the demolition of Palestinian homes.
In a speech to the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington, Blinken stated that “settlement expansion plainly presents a barrier to the horizon of hope we desire.
The disruption of the historical order at the holy places, the ongoing home demolitions, and the expulsion of residents who have lived in their homes for generations all harm the prospects for two states, he added.
Likewise, he added, any attempt at annexation of the West Bank, whether de facto or de jure.
A two-state solution with the Palestinians cannot be replaced by bettering Israeli-Arab relations, he said.
“Integration and normalization efforts are not a substitute for progress between Israelis and Palestinians, and they should not come at its expense,” added Blinken.
The chances for a two-state solution and the welfare of the Palestinian people may and should be advanced by Israel’s strengthened ties with its allies, he continued. Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia this week, in part to examine the likelihood that Saudi Arabia will ratify the so-called “Abraham Accords,” which were reached between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco during the Trump administration.
“The United States has a real national security interest in promoting normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia,” he declared.
“We think we must and can play a crucial part in its advancement. Although we have no illusions that it will be quick or simple, we are nonetheless committed to achieving this goal.
Additionally, Blinken emphasized the Biden administration’s resolve to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
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