Antony J. Blinken 71st U.S. Secretary of State | Official Website
Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently participated in an interview with Kristen Welker on NBC's Meet the Press. During the discussion, Blinken addressed a recent State Department report on Israel's actions and compliance with international law. The report has been criticized by Amnesty International and Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen for its lack of definitive conclusions.
Blinken refuted the notion that the U.S. is avoiding holding Israel accountable, stating, "We don’t have double standards. We treat Israel, one of our closest allies and partners, just as we would treat any other country." He encouraged people to read the report themselves to understand its contents.
The Secretary also highlighted the complexity of the military environment in which Israel operates, particularly in relation to Hamas' tactics of embedding within civilian populations. He acknowledged that there are instances where Israel may have acted inconsistently with international humanitarian law but emphasized that investigations into these incidents continue.
In response to questions about U.S. policy towards Israel's actions in Rafah, Blinken defended President Biden's record on defending Israel and expressed concern about potential civilian damage from a major military operation in Rafah. He stated that while they share Israel's objective of demilitarizing Hamas, there might be better ways to achieve this than a full-scale invasion.
The Secretary further clarified President Biden's stance on withholding weapons from Israel if it launches a major military operation in Rafah. He explained that they are currently holding back on providing heavy or high-payload weapons due to concerns about their impact in dense urban environments like Rafah.
Finally, Blinken discussed ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire and release hostages held by Hamas. He reiterated that the quickest way for hostilities to end is for Hamas to release the hostages and cease its activities.
