From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
In possible sign of discord, PM’s office does not release readout of meeting with Blinken
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
In a possible sign of discord during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier today, the Prime Minister’s Office does not release a readout of the meeting, which it typically does.
It also declines to send out updates of Blinken’s meeting with the war cabinet.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said earlier that Blinken and Netanyahu discussed US support for Israel and “the importance of avoiding further civilian harm and protecting civilian infrastructure in Gaza.”
Blinken and Netanyahu also discussed “ongoing efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages and the importance of increasing the level of humanitarian assistance reaching civilians in Gaza,” Miller said.
“The Secretary reiterated the need to ensure lasting, sustainable peace for Israel and the region, including by the realization of a Palestinian state,” he said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tells Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his forces must avoid inflicting further harm on civilians in Gaza, the State Department said.
