If a pair of interviews with Secretary of State Antony Blinken are indications, the U.S. may be ready to modify its conduct and policy on the war in Gaza. Blinken, on Sunday’s “Meet the Press” and “Face the Nation,” delivered the Biden administration’s strongest public criticism of Israel’s tactics in the ongoing war, stating that the war has left “a horrible loss of life of innocent civilians,” without neutralizing Hamas and possibly creating opportunities for increased insurgency.
He emphasized the U.S. concerns that Israeli forces should “get out of Gaza,” while he awaits solid efforts on part of Israel for the governance and security in the region at the conclusion of combat.
One of the points Blinken made about the deeper incursions into Rafah may intensify the war. Continued collateral damage erupted Sunday as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ordered the evacuation of residents in northwest Gaza, where Palestinian fighters have unleashed rockets towards Ashkelon, a nearby town.
All of this comes as Blinken grapples with the tragic death of an American peace activist, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who also held Turkish citizenship. On Tuesday, Blinken, who is now in London, charged that her death was “unprovoked and unjustified,” and this incident was among the issues that may have spurred his call for a fundamental change in how things were occurring in the West Bank and other parts of the region. The IDF has apologized for her death, claiming that she was likely killed by “indirect and unintended IDF fire, which was aimed at a main instigator” during a riot. She was there as a protester which was part of her history in opposition to the war in Gaza.
Blinken said her death and the way it happened was “not acceptable. It has to change. And we will be making that clear to the senior most members of the Israeli government.” He added that “It is clear that there are serious issues that must be dealt with, and we will make sure that they are dealt with.”
Superb effort!