From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Cohen speaks to Blinken, says Israel will bring violent settlers to justice
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
During his conversation with Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the White House is extremely concerned about settler violence, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
He also says Washington appreciates the condemnations by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Cohen and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, but more must be done.
A readout from the Foreign Ministry says that Cohen “completely condemned the incidents where [Israeli] citizens took the law into their own hands and said the government would employ all means necessary.”
Cohen also blamed the rise in West Bank terror attacks on Iran.
The two also discussed efforts to get the Negev Forum back on track and expand it. The latest meeting of the forum of Israel, the US, the Abraham Accord nations and Egypt, was postponed by Morocco over Israeli settlement activity.
Blinken and Cohen also agree to work together to ensure that by next year’s Hajj, there will be an agreement in place with the Saudis to allow direct flights from Israel to Jeddah.
There was no immediate US readout of the conversation.
The Times of Israel Community.