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

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Israeli Overseas Minister Yair Lapid (not pictured) in Rome, Italy, June 27, 2021. Andrew Harnik/Pool by way of REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. plans to work intently with Israel’s new authorities, Secretary of State Antony Blinken instructed 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’ve earlier governments,” Blinken instructed the nonprofit J Avenue liberal advocacy group. “We are going to gauge the federal government by the insurance policies it pursues slightly than particular person personalities,” he mentioned.

“Safety help to Israel is sacrosanct,” Blinken mentioned, noting the greater than $3 billion the U.S. offers 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 celebration, 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 in opposition to Arabs and backing a gaggle thought-about by Israel and the USA to be a terrorist group, is Israel’s new safety minister, with accountability for Border Police within the occupied West Financial institution.

President Joe Biden stays dedicated to “realizing the enduring purpose of two states,” Blinken mentioned. “We imagine Palestinians and Israelis, like individuals in every single place, are entitled to the identical rights and the identical alternatives.”

The U.S. “will even proceed to unequivocally oppose any acts that undermine the prospects of a two-state answer,” Blinken mentioned, 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.