Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken held separate conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas Sept. 5, according to statements from State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller.
In a dialogue with Netanyahu, Blinken reaffirmed the strength of the bilateral partnership and U.S. commitment to Israel’s security, the statement reported.
"The secretary and prime minister discussed mutual interests, including expanding Israel’s regional integration and countering threats posed by Iran," Miller said in the statement.
Blinken also spoke with Abbas, expressing the U.S.’ ongoing concern about violence in the West Bank, another statement reported. Both Blinken and Abbas expressed their support for a two-state solution and their opposition to any actions that would endanger its viability.
"He reaffirmed U.S. support for measures to advance freedom and security and improve the quality of life for the Palestinian people," Miller said in the statement.
The recent conversations come against a backdrop of a decades-long conflict between Israel and Palestine. Rooted in competing claims to the Holy Land, the conflict encompasses disputes about borders, Jerusalem, security and Palestinian refugees. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, tensions date back to 1947.
In 2013, the U.S. took initiatives to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which faltered a year later. The cessation occurred when Fatah, the ruling party of the Palestinian Authority, formed a unity government with Hamas, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., the Council on Foreign Relations reported.
The conversations between Blinken and the leaders of Israel and Palestine are seen as a continuous effort from the U.S. to mediate and find a lasting solution to the conflict, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. While it remains a complex issue fraught with historical and political nuances, the discussions indicate the U.S. continues to be actively involved in diplomatic efforts to ensure freedom, security and prosperity for both Israelis and Palestinians alike.
