ARAB AND WORLD

Fri 23 Aug 2024 3:24 pm - Jerusalem Time

Blinken Sentences Ceasefire Negotiations to Death

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's comments on Gaza ceasefire talks this week have doomed the negotiations, the Middle East Eye website reported on Thursday, citing Israeli media.


After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Blinken said the Israeli leader had agreed to a new US proposal and that it was now up to Hamas to agree to the deal. However, the US proposal included new demands from Netanyahu that Hamas finds unacceptable. Israeli, American and Arab sources said Netanyahu’s demands were too tough and would prevent an agreement.


Israeli sources who spoke to Ynet criticized Blinken for making comments that portrayed Hamas as the obstacle to reaching an agreement. “Blinken made a very serious mistake here that indicates innocence, amateurism, naivety and lack of understanding,” one source said.


They added that Blinken's positive view of the ceasefire negotiations was likely an attempt to prevent the situation from overshadowing the Democratic National Convention.


"He expressed optimism based on domestic American political considerations, so that the Democratic convention in Chicago would proceed smoothly, but senior officials on the Israeli negotiating team who listened to his press conference wanted to dispel the speculation," the source said.


The sources described Blinken's comments as a "gift" to Netanyahu and said the Israeli leader's continued insistence that Israel must retain control of the border between Gaza and Egypt, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, would prevent a deal.


"There will be no agreement and no summit if Israel continues to insist on deploying forces along the Philadelphi Corridor," the source said. "What was implicit in Blinken's words was that the US supports Netanyahu to keep IDF forces in Philadelphi, while the Egyptians and Hamas refuse."


US and Israeli officials are scheduled to meet again in Cairo this week to discuss a ceasefire, but Arab mediators have said there is no point in holding talks unless the US puts significant pressure on Netanyahu to back down on his demands and agree to a deal.

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Blinken Sentences Ceasefire Negotiations to Death