Antony Blinken reaffirms Biden's support for two-state solution for Israel and Palestine

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on May 23 affirmed President Joe Biden’s commitment to a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. Ahead of his visit to the Middle East, Blinken told ABC News that without solutions that afforded Palestinians more dignity, the cycle of violence was likely to continue. He said that “ultimately” the two-state solution is the “only way” to ensure Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state, and of course the only way to give Palestinians the state to which they’re “entitled”. Although, Blinken also acknowledged that it would take some time to get to that point. 

While speaking to the media outlet, Blinken credited Biden’s quiet diplomacy for the ceasefire secured between Hamas, which controls Gaza, and Israel. Blinken argued that in the near term, the most important objective was rebuilding the massive structural damage in Gaza and solving the resulting humanitarian crisis. He said that the reconstruction, rebuilding of what’s been lost, engaging both sides in trying to start to make real improvements in the lives of people so that Israelis and Palestinians can live with equal measures of security, peace and of dignity, has to “start now”. 

The US official even stressed that equality should be the goal of any government in a democratic society. Blinken said that it is “vitally important” that Palestinians feel hope and have the opportunity and can live in security just as it for Israelis. “There should be equal measures,” he said. 

Blinken added, “Ultimately I think that that hope, that security, that dignity will be found in a Palestinian state”. 

‘Real challenge’ according to Blinken

Further, the US Secretary of State went on to say that rebuilding the damage in Gaza would be an important step toward resolving the conflict. When asked how the US planned to support the rebuilding without funding Hamas, Blinken said that it would rely on “independent parties” that can help do the reconstruction and the development and “not some quasi-government authority”. He even went on to say that the “real challenge” is to help Palestinians and particularly to help moderate Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority deliver better results for their people, and of course, Israel has a profound role to play in that too. 

It is worth noting that last week, Blinken said that he would visit the Middle East in the upcoming days and arrange meetings with the leadership of both Israel and Palestine. Blinken said that he spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and welcomed the confirmation from both sides to end violence in Gaza and West Bank. US Secretary of State said that he is “looking forward” to meeting with regional leaders, foreign ministers and other influential persons in Israel and Palestine.

(Image: AP)