Blinken Starts His ME Tour by Visiting Saudi Arabia

By Staff, Agencies

US secretary of state Antony Blinken is set to arrive in Saudi Arabia on his fifth visit to the region since October in the coming hours.

His visit comes after the US carried out strikes against Yemen, in the latest escalation of the conflict that is spreading across the Middle East.

The trip also comes as the Biden administration gradually shows some frustration with the Zionist entity, with sanctions-imposed Thursday on extremist settlers, although the US has brushed aside international calls on “Israel” to end its military campaign.

Blinken on his trip will visit “Israel” as well as Egypt and Qatar.

Blinken, speaking Monday after meeting in Washington with Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said there was “real hope” for success of the “good, strong [ceasefire] proposal.”

Qatar has also voiced optimism, although Hamas has said that there is no agreement and there is also division in “Israel” with hawks opposing perceived concessions to Hamas.

Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, acknowledged on Sunday the debate within “Israel” but said, in reference to the deal, that the “ball is in Hamas’s court at this time.”

Sullivan, speaking to “Face the Nation” on CBS, said Blinken would press “Israel” to allow more food, water, medicine and shelter in Gaza, which has been left in rubble by nearly four months of bombardment.

“This will be a top priority of his when he sees the “Israeli” government – that the needs of the Palestinian people are something that are going to be front and center in the US approach,” said Sullivan.

Blinken is expected to begin his trip on Monday in Saudi Arabia.