Blinken: ‘The United States Stands With Israel and With Its People Today, Tomorrow, Every Day’
With the military aid to Israel and Blinken’s meetings with regional leaders, America is investing great efforts to make sure that no additional front opens in the war
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to the international and local press on Thursday in Israel. He pledged to support Israel until it does what it needs to do to prevent Saturday’s terror attack from happening again. The American backing was reiterated over and over, and empathy was shown to the people of Israel and the families of those who were killed or are still missing.
Prior to addressing the media, Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and Israeli volunteers who are sending aid to soldiers at the borders and to the residents of the south in need. Blinken also spoke with the families of Americans who are missing or were killed.
During Blinken’s meeting with the Israeli president in Tel Aviv, Herzog expressed gratitude and recognized the important meaning of his visit to Israel in times of war. “Your visit here is another proof and testimony to how close you are and how you care for us in our time of need, in one of the darkest hours we’ve endured since the establishment of the State of Israel,” said Herzog.
He added that Saturday was the single day with the most Jews killed since the Holocaust. Therefore, said Herzog, “The sense of security and defense that the people of Israel deserve is something which is of the highest priority so that these pictures will never occur.”
As long as the US exists, Israel won’t have to defend itself alone
Blinken replied, saying, “I am here quite simply with one message, and that is the United States stands with Israel, today, tomorrow, every day.”
At both the press conference and the meeting with President Herzog, Blinken reassured that Israel will have American support until it does what it needs to do to make sure that what happened on Saturday will never happen again. “As long as the US exists, Israel won’t have to defend itself alone,” he asserted.
After seeing the terrifying images that the Israeli government disclosed to his delegation, Blinken showed empathy with the Israeli people, adding that while normally an image is worth 1000 words, this time it’s worth millions. “Babies slaughtered, bodies desecrated, young people burned alive, women raped, parents executed in front of their children, children in front of their parents. How are we even to understand this, to digest this?”
He also highlighted the fact that these events have united Israel in grief but also in resolve to defend itself, adding that Americans are standing with Israel in this resolve. “The United States shares that resolve, we stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Israel,” he said.
In addition to the uncountable acts of heroism demonstrated by Israeli soldiers and citizens alike during this massacre, Blinken praised the Israeli voluntarism that has widely surged throughout the country to help their fellow citizens in need.
Blinken said that in his following meetings with leaders from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Qatar, the American government, “will continue pressing countries to help prevent the conflict from spreading and to use their leverage with Hamas to immediately and unconditionally release the hostages.”
We are doing everything we can to secure the release of the hostages, working closely with our Israeli partners
According to Blinken, America is also involved in the efforts to liberate the kidnapped by Hamas. “We are doing everything we can to secure the release of the hostages, working closely with our Israeli partners. I brought with me to Israel Deputy Special Representative for Hostage Affairs Steve Gillen, who joined my meetings with the families and will stay on the ground here to support the efforts to free their loved ones.”
He added that the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group, which was on its way to Israel, would arrive to make sure that no other front opened in the war. “We are making efforts for the war not to open in another front, and we have made this clear with the fleet.”
When asked about Israel’s counteroffensive in Gaza and the humanitarian situation there, Blinken highlighted that Hamas continues to use civilians as human shields to protect themselves, their infrastructure, and their weapons. He made it clear that civilians are not the target of Israel’s operations.
However, he stressed that democracies such as Israel and the United States do comply with the laws of war and international law and are addressing the humanitarian needs of the Gazans “while Israel retaliates legitimately,” he said.
Lastly, Blinken reassured that the unfrozen $6 billion to Iran has not been spent yet and that Americans are overseeing that the Islamic Republic only uses the money for humanitarian goals. He added that the US has the right to freeze these funds if it sees it necessary.
