Gallant to Blinken: ‘The eyes of both our enemies and our friends’ are on US-Israel relations

Meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant works to calm tensions between Israel and the US.

“The eyes of both our enemies and our friends are on the relationship between the US and Israel. We must resolve the differences between us quickly and stand together – this is how we will achieve our goals and weaken our enemies,” Gallant tells Blinken, according to an official readout from the meeting.

In an extended one-on-one meeting, Gallant raises the need to exert additional pressure on Hamas in order to ensure the return of the hostages kidnapped by the terror group on October 7 and still held in Gaza.

He also stresses the importance of promoting a governing alternative to the terror group in Gaza.

Amid reports that the Biden administration sent a message to the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon that it will not be able to hold Israel back if border tensions escalate, Gallant emphasizes the importance of Washington’s support.

But Blinken appears to caution Israel against launching a major offensive against Hezbollah.

Blinken “underscored the importance of avoiding further escalation of the conflict and reaching a diplomatic resolution that allows both Israeli and Lebanese families to return to their homes,” the State Department says in its readout on the meeting with Gallant.

The top US diplomat’s warning was the latest from a top Biden official, as the administration seeks to prevent a full-fledged war between Israel and Hezbollah, which began launching near-daily attacks on northern Israel following Hamas’s October 7 onslaught in the south.

Jacob Magid contributed to this report.