Blinken asks Israel to “turn its military successes” into “strategic successes” and avoid an expansion of the conflict

He affirms that there is an “incredible opportunity” to achieve an agreement to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia

Oct. 23 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, called on Israel this Wednesday to “convert its military successes” in the Gaza Strip into “lasting strategic successes” and has insisted on the need for the response to the latest attacks by Iran does not cause “an expansion” of the conflict in the Middle East.

Blinken stated before leaving Israel, where he arrived on Tuesday for a new visit as part of another diplomatic tour in the region, that the authorities have achieved “most of their strategic objectives” in Gaza, including the “elimination” of the leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the enclave, Yahya Sinwar.

“Now is the time to turn these successes into strategic and lasting successes,” he said, before insisting that Sinwar “was the main obstacle” to a ceasefire agreement that includes the release of those kidnapped during the attacks. on October 7, 2023.

“There are two things left to do. Get the hostages home and end the war with an understanding,” said Blinken, who reiterated that Sinwar’s death last week creates “a real opportunity” for this.

In this sense, he has advocated for “clear agreements” governing “governance” in Gaza and the “reconstruction” of the enclave, while emphasizing that “it is absolutely essential that humanitarian aid reaches the people who need it.” in Gaza”, in the face of complaints about Israel’s blockades on the distribution of essential goods.

“More needs to be done,” he argued, although he said that during the last month there has been “progress” in this regard, amid complaints from the United Nations and non-governmental organizations about the total blockage of the delivery of this aid. in northern Gaza, scene of a new ground offensive for nearly three weeks.

On the other hand, he stressed that “it is imperative to guarantee that the conflict does not expand in the region” and said that “it is very important that Israel responds (to the latest Iranian attacks) in a way that does not cause further escalation and that does not expand the conflict” in the Middle East.

Israeli authorities are weighing their response to Iran’s Oct. 1 ballistic missile attack on the country. Tehran described the attack as its response to the death of a senior Revolutionary Guard official, the leader of the Lebanese Shiite militia party Hezbollah, Hasan Nasrallah, and the head of the political arm of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Ismail Haniye, assassinated at the end of July in Tehran.

“INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY” FOR NORMALIZATION WITH SAUDI ARABIA

Regarding the situation in Lebanon, Blinken has highlighted that the United States is working to achieve the “effective application” of resolution 1701, approved by the United Nations Security Council in 2006 in view of the ceasefire reached days later between Israel and the Shiite militia party Hezbollah.

“It has never been applied,” argued the US Secretary of State, who stressed that “it is key that the parties, especially Hezbollah, move away from the border and that the Lebanese Army assumes its functions,” as contemplated in the aforementioned resolution, which Lebanon has shown itself willing to abide by.

Israel unleashed a new invasion of Lebanon on October 1 after several weeks of intense bombing and attacks against the country, including the coordinated explosion of thousands of communication devices, after more than eleven months of fighting with Hezbollah in the border area.

Finally, he pointed to the existence of “an incredible opportunity” to achieve an agreement to normalize diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, although Riyadh has insisted at all times that a prerequisite for this step is the establishment of a Palestinian state.

“There remains, despite everything that has happened, an incredible opportunity in this region to move forward in a totally different situation,” Blinken said. “One that guarantees the lasting security of Israel,” he stated, before delving into the fact that Israel should be “integrated” in the region, in which Iran should be “isolated.”

Blinken’s statements took place precisely before boarding a flight to Saudi Arabia, the next stop on his eleventh regional tour in the Middle East since the outbreak of the conflict due to the attacks carried out on October 7, 2023 by Hamas and other Palestinian groups against Israel.