As talks between the United States and Saudi officials about normalizing its relations with Israel are at risk of breaking down due to the war with Hamas, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pushing for continued efforts to ease tensions and prevent future warfare.
Shortly after war broke out in Israel last week, top aides in the Biden administration began consideration of whether the country should continue pushing for normalization of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, especially as the latter prepares for continued ground assaults against the Hamas militant group. Blinken has previously suggested that normalizing ties could help secure peace in the Middle Eastern region, reiterating that stance to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud as they met on Saturday.
HAMAS TELLS CIVILIANS TO IGNORE ISRAEL'S EVACUATION WARNING
“I would just say first, of course, that no country can or should be expected to tolerate what Israel has just been on the receiving end of, which is an attack that almost defies description and words, in which more than 1,300 of its people were slaughtered along with the nationals of more than 30 other countries, by Hamas,” Blinken said.
“I think, at the same time, it’s vitally important — and I know that our countries agree — that we work together to make sure that, to the best of our ability, this conflict does not spread to other places and other fronts,” he added. “And so I look forward to discussing that.”
The intensifying conflict is a military and humanitarian crisis with far-reaching diplomatic implications, as the terrorists have signaled their hope that the war will prevent the U.S., Israel, and Saudi Arabia from brokering a deal to normalize relations between the Gulf Arab monarchy and the Jewish democracy.
Blinken has pushed against that notion, arguing only groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran are against any normalization talks.
“I think that speaks volumes as well,” Blinken said earlier this week.
Blinken’s latest comments come as the Israeli military prepares to launch another ground assault sometime on Saturday, prompting a massive evacuation of citizens in Northern Gaza to escape to Egypt.
U.S. officials managed to negotiate a deal with Egypt, Israel, and Qatar to open up the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt for roughly five hours on Saturday to allow U.S. citizens to escape, a senior State Department official told the Washington Post. The plan would open the Rafah border, which is the sole crossing point between Gaza and Egypt, from noon to 5 p.m. local time.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The short window of escape has been communicated to Palestinian Americans staying in Gaza, the outlet reported, which could cause a massive rush of people to southern Gaza in a bid to escape. The Rafah border has been closed off after Egyptian officials erected a cement wall barrier in the days following Israeli airstrikes, seeking to avoid a mass exodus of those seeking refuge.
However, those seeking to escape Gaza could face a perilous road as the Israeli military is expected to launch a ground offensive at some point over the weekend in a bid to dismantle Hamas, which could endanger some citizens seeking to escape.