Antony Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israel to avoid additional escalation in Lebanon during a meeting with its defence minister on Monday, as they reviewed efforts to free prisoners in Gaza.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant was in Washington to highlight the importance of Israel’s top partner, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly reprimanded the US over what he claimed was a delay in weapons supplies.
In a statement, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated, “In a two-hour meeting with Gallant at the State Department, Blinken discussed indirect diplomacy between Israel and Hamas on an agreement that secures the release of all hostages and alleviates the suffering of the Palestinian people”.
“Blinken also underscored the importance of avoiding further escalation of the conflict and reaching a diplomatic resolution that allows both Israeli and Lebanese families to return to their homes”, Miller continued.
Tensions have risen as Israel and Lebanon’s Iranian-backed militant outfit Hezbollah have exchanged fire more often.
Netanyahu has stated that Israeli soldiers are nearing the end of the most intense phase of the Gaza war and will redeploy to the northern border, describing the action as defensive.
Gallant also met with CIA Chief Bill Burns, the primary US negotiator in efforts to rescue prisoners from Hamas.
“I would like to emphasize that it is Israel’s primary commitment to return the hostages, with no exception, to their families and homes”, Gallant stated before beginning his talks.
“We will continue to make every possible effort to bring them home”, Gallant added.
Also read: France And Jordan Call On Israel To Lift Land-Based Restrictions On Gaza Aid
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the most populous country, with the fifth-largest economy, must…
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has frontloaded its rate cuts to support economic growth,…
PM Narendra Modi on Saturday called for urgent global action to build infrastructure that can…
CJI BR Gavai during the academic forum at the School of Oriental and African Studies…
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday met UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and appreciated…
Amit Shah lauded the success of recent anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh and expressed his desire…