From the Liveblog of
Friday, September 27, 2024
Blinken warns ‘further escalation’ will make it tougher for northerners to return home
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
NEW YORK — During his meeting with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer earlier today on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated the Biden administration’s belief that an Israeli escalation against Hezbollah will only make it more difficult to accomplish the objective of returning evacuated Israelis to their homes along the northern border.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of fury in the Biden administration over what it says was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s utter about-face regarding the 21-day ceasefire initiative between Israel and Hezbollah that the US helped broker. The White House says it announced the proposal yesterday after closely consulting with Netanyahu, who assured Biden officials that he was on board. Following major blowback from his coalition partners, the premier announced that he opposed the idea and instead backed intensified fighting against Hezbollah, convinced that this would be the best way to restore security for residents living along the northern border.
The premier’s office has flatly denied that Netanyahu had initially agreed to the 21-day ceasefire proposal, but has softened its rhetoric amid US backlash, saying it appreciates Washington’s efforts and that Dermer held talks later in the day aimed at advancing the joint goal of returning Israeli evacuees to their homes.
During his subsequent one-on-one meeting with Blinken, the secretary of state “discussed the importance of reaching an agreement on the 21-day ceasefire across the Israel-Lebanon border” based on the proposal led by the US and France, which has been backed by over a dozen countries, the US readout says.
The initiative is aimed at providing time for both a hostage release and ceasefire deal to come together in Gaza and for the brokering of an agreement between Israel and Hezbollah that sees the terror group withdraw its forces from the border.
“A diplomatic settlement will allow civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes… further escalation of the conflict will only make that objective more difficult,” Blinken told Dermer, according to the US readout.
Blinken also discussed the ongoing Gaza ceasefire effort, which has been stuck for over a month.
He further discussed steps Israel needs to take to improve the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza while reiterating the US commitment to Israel’s security, the State Department says.
The Times of Israel Community.