Blinken calls for an end of settler extremism, yet supports 'Israel'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
1 Dec 2023 00:51

Antony Blinken has met with Mahmoud Abbas and has discussed pathways to enhance the role of the Palestinian Authority.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference in "Tel Aviv", occupied Palestine, November 30, 2023. (AP)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed growing concerns about "extremist violence" in the occupied West Bank, expressing the expectation that "Israel" would take decisive measures to curb the escalating situation.

"With regard to extremist violence, all I can tell you is this. We're looking to the Israeli government to take some additional steps to really put a stop to this. And at the same time, we're considering our own steps," Blinken said.

Blinken also engaged in discussions with the President of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Mahmoud Abbas. The two officials discussed enhancing the effectiveness of the PA in order to allegedly "meet the aspirations of the Palestinian people."

"I had an opportunity to discuss today with President Abbas the need for reform, the need to revitalize, to revamp the Palestinian Authority, so that it can most effectively meet the aspirations of the Palestinian people and deliver for them," Blinken asserted.

Blinken disregards systematic Israeli brutality

The Secretary of State's remarks come with a complete disregard for brutal Israeli policies employed in the West Bank, which highlight systematic measures taken by Israeli authorities.

Israeli occupation forces have executed near-daily incursions and raids on cities and towns of the West Bank since October 7. In this context, more than 3,000 Palestinians have been detained, a large portion of which are administratively detained.

Earlier on Wednesday, two Palestinian children were cold-bloodily killed by Israeli occupation forces' gunfire in Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

Adam Samer al-Ghoul, 8 years old, and Bassel Suleiman Abu al-Wafa, 15 years old, were shot and killed by the occupation forces on Wednesday afternoon. Footage shows that one of the children was shot right in front of his family home in the al-Basateen district.

Yet, the US's support to "Israel" has been relentless, as the latter wages an indiscriminate war on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Biden admin faced with internal dissent

The US's approach to the Israeli aggression has led to internal dissent in the Biden administration, revealing a deeper debate and a generational divide among Democrats, an op-ed by Abigail Williams and Dan De Luce for NBC News detailed on Thursday.

This dissent, which includes open letters from government employees, objections from foreign service officers at the State Department, and criticism from US Agency for International Development (USAID) employees, is broader and more pronounced than seen in previous administrations.

"It’s remarkable and it’s unprecedented," said Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank who worked at the State Department from 1978 to 2003. "I’ve never seen anything like it."

Hundreds of federal government employees, including diplomats, have signed an open letter to President Biden, demanding that his administration push for a ceasefire to protect the lives of Palestinian civilians. Foreign service officers at the State Department have expressed objections through official dissent cables, and hundreds of USAID employees have signed a letter critical of the administration's approach.

As the humanitarian truce in Gaza comes to an end, the Biden administration will be faced with greater criticism, as expected scenes from Palestine will highlight the aftermath of the US-backed genocidal war on Gaza.