US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday in Ramallah amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to The Times of Israel. According to a Palestinian official cited by The Times of Israel, it would be the first visit to the West Bank by any high ranking US diplomat since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Earlier this week, Blinken told a congressional hearing, “At some point, what would make the most sense would be for an effective and revitalized Palestinian Authority to have governance and ultimately security responsibility for Gaza.”
The comments marked the first time the Biden administration publicly declared its desire for the PA to return to the Gaza Strip after privately raising the idea with regional partners amid the Israel-Hamas war, The Times of Israel reported.
Earlier on Saturday, CNN reported that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken conveyed his “deep concern” regarding the cross-fire along Lebanon’s southern border with Israel during a meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Amman.
“Secretary Blinken thanked the Prime Minister for his leadership in preventing Lebanon from being pulled into a war that the Lebanese people do not want, as well as his efforts with regional partners to pursue durable and sustainable peace in the region,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
Blinken also discussed US efforts to secure humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza, Miller said.
Meanwhile, Blinken also met with Jordan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ayman Safadi, in Amman ahead of the joint meeting.