Blinken says U.S. to work with Israel, and assist two state answer By Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. plans to work carefully with Israel’s new authorities, Secretary of State Antony Blinken advised a left-leaning Jewish group in Washington on Sunday, and continues to assist a two-state answer to finish the decades-long battle with Palestinians.

The U.S. administration expects “the brand new Israeli Authorities to proceed to work with us to advance our shared values, simply as we now have earlier governments,” Blinken advised the nonprofit J Road liberal advocacy group. “We are going to gauge the federal government by the insurance policies it pursues fairly than particular person personalities,” he stated.

“Safety help to Israel is sacrosanct,” Blinken stated, noting the greater than $3 billion the U.S. gives to Israel in international army funding.

Final week, Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu reached a coalition cope with the far-right Non secular Zionism get together, which opposes Palestinian statehood and helps extending Israeli sovereignty into the West Financial institution.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was convicted in 2007 of racist incitement towards Arabs and backing a gaggle thought-about by Israel and the USA to be a terrorist group, is Israel’s new safety minister, with duty for Border Police within the occupied West Financial institution.

President Joe Biden stays dedicated to “realizing the enduring aim of two states,” Blinken stated. “We consider Palestinians and Israelis, like individuals all over the place, are entitled to the identical rights and the identical alternatives.”

The U.S. “may even proceed to unequivocally oppose any acts that undermine the prospects of a two-state answer,” Blinken stated, together with settlement growth, strikes towards annexation of the West Financial institution, disruption to the historic establishment at holy websites, demolitions and evictions, and incitement to violence.