US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met in Israel on Monday with top government officials for the second time since the outbreak of the Swords of Iron War against Hamas, in what appears to be a shuttle diplomacy effort.
Over the past four days, the American Secretary has also visited Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
The Secretary spoke first with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an “in depth private meeting” at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem that was marked by sporadic participation by National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi and the Prime Minister’s Military Secretary, Major General Avi Gil.
Blinken met separately with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at IDF and ministry headquarters in the Kirya in Tel Aviv. Also attending that meeting were the ministry’s director-general, IDF Strategic Directorate director and additional senior officials from Israel’s defense establishment.
The American Secretary was briefed on the operational activities conducted by the IDF since the start of the war on October 7. He was told that Israel intends to eliminate the Hamas terrorist infrastructure and its members in Gaza.
The defense minister also expressed his appreciation to the Secretary and the Biden Administration for their “public, unwavering support and commitment to Israel’s security.”
Gallant said Israel “always knew the United States is a great ally, but today, the people of Israel and in the world see it with their own eyes. You are here, for the second time this week, senior American officials are here everyday, and the American flag waves in the Mediterranean – we know what that means.
“Let me tell you, Mr. Secretary, this will be a long war, the price will be high, but we are going to win: for Israel, for the Jewish people and for the values that both countries believe in.”
