U.S Secretary of state, Antony Blinken has established his country’s position on what it believes a “day after” scenario should look like in Gaza after the Israel-Hamas war ends.
He made this disclosure in a media briefing on November 8, 2023, after the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Tokyo.
He told reporters that these were the conditions needed for “durable peace and security.”
“The U.S believes key elements should include no forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza. Not now. Not after the war. No use of Gaza as a platform for terrorism or other violent attacks.
“No reoccupation of Gaza after the conflict ends. No attempt to blockade or besieged Gaza. No reduction in the territory of Gaza. We must also ensure no terrorist threats can emanate from the West Bank.”
Antony Blinken
Blinken went on to say that the US was seeking a future settlement that “must include the Palestinian people’s voices and aspirations at the centre of post-crisis governance in Gaza.”
“It must include Palestinian-led governance and Gaza unified with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority, and it must include a sustained mechanism for reconstruction in Gaza.”
Antony Blinken
He said the US sought “a pathway to Israelis and Palestinians living side-by-side in states of their own, with equal measures of security, freedom, opportunity and dignity.”
Once again, Blinken rejected calls for a ceasefire.
He said, “All of us want to end this conflict as soon as possible and meanwhile, to minimize civilian suffering.”
“But as I discussed with my G7 colleagues, those calling for an immediate ceasefire have an obligation to explain how to address the unacceptable result that would likely bring about. Hamas left in place, with more than 200 hostages, with the capacity and stated intent to repeat 7 October, again, and again and again.”
Antony Blinken
G7 Foreign Ministers Call For Humanitarian Pause
Foreign ministers from the G7 issued a joint statement calling for a “humanitarian pause” in the Israel-Hamas war to allow essential supplies to be delivered to desperate civilians in Gaza.
In the statement, the nations sought to balance criticism of Hamas’ attacks against Israel and a push for steps to help civilians in the besieged Palestinian enclave in need of food, water, medical care and shelter.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting in Tokyo, Japan’s Foreign Minister, Yoko Kamikawa, said the G7 had confirmed the need for “urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis” in Gaza.
Kamikawa added that the Foreign Ministers repeated their condemnation of Hamas’s 7 October on Israel and their support for Israel’s right to self-defence.
However, they also emphasized the need to comply with international law during the ongoing conflict.
The U.S Secretary of state, Antony Blinken, along with foreign ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Italy said they supported a pause in the fighting “to facilitate urgently needed assistance, civilian movement and the release of hostages” held by Hamas.
They said, “the rise in extremist settler violence committed against Palestinians” was “unacceptable, undermines security in the West Bank, and threatens prospects for a lasting peace.”
Kamikawa hailed the joint statement as a “significant achievement” in terms of the G7 playing a responsible role in the international community.
Underlining the importance of the Middle East for Japan’s energy security, Kamikawa said that the region accounts for about 90 percent of Japan’s crude oil imports.
The Japanese Foreign Minister added, “On this occasion as the G7, we agreed to prevent further escalation of the conflict by working together with the regional partners.”
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