Washington: US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken vowed on Sunday to oppose Israeli settlements or annexation in the West Bank, but promised that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s incoming government would be judged by actions, not personalities. will
Netanyahu is expected to return to power within days after sealing a coalition deal with far-right movements, including religious Zionism, set for a post in charge of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Speaking to J Street, a pro-Israel American advocacy group, Blinken congratulated the veteran Israeli leader, who has clashed with previous Democratic administrations in Washington.
“We will judge by government policies rather than individual personalities,” Blinken said.
But he said President Joe Biden’s administration would “work tirelessly” to maintain the “horizon of hope” for a Palestinian state.
“We will also continue to unequivocally oppose any actions that undermine the prospects for a two-state solution, including settlement expansion, moves toward the annexation of the West Bank, disruption of the historic status of holy sites, demolitions and evictions.” including but not limited to, and incitement to violence,” Blinken said.
Speaking ahead of Blinkens comments, Netanyahu pointed out that the outgoing government led by Yair Lapid relied on the support of an Arab Israeli party with Islamist roots and said he had “declared all the critics” about it. Not a single word heard from the course.”
Religious Zionist leader Itamar Ben Gower, who is expected to play a key role, is a staunch supporter of Jewish settlements. Until a few years ago, his room had a picture of Baruch Goldstein, who massacred 29 Palestinian worshipers in a Hebron mosque in 1994.
J Street President Jeremy Ben Ami told reporters that the State Department had a “strong case” to consider Ben Guerre’s character and that the US administration should not deal with other officials from extreme backgrounds. Should be considered.
There is no substitute for peace
The Nov. 1 election was Israel’s fifth in less than four years and came after the collapse of Lapid’s diverse coalition that sought to oust scandal-plagued Netanyahu.
Any fresh attempt by Israel to seize the West Bank could run counter to Netanyahu’s 2020 pledges to the United Arab Emirates, which became the first Arab state to recognize Israel in decades.
Netanyahu and then US President Donald Trump’s administration hailed the so-called Abraham Accords as a major achievement.
Three other Arab countries quickly negotiated ties with Israel, whose trade ties with the UAE have grown over the past two years.
To the loudest applause from J Street, Blinken said, “For all its benefits, normalization between Israel and its neighbors is not a substitute for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.”
“I know a lot of people are disappointed; a lot of people are disappointed,” Blinken said.
“We have been trying to reach a two-state solution for decades and yet we seem to have moved further away from that goal,” he said.
But he cautioned to “not fall prey to misogyny” and continue to work for peace.
The U.S. has not made any major diplomatic efforts toward a two-state solution since Barack Obama’s presidency, with Biden administration officials privately skeptical that they can reach any deal with Netanyahu.
