Blinken talks Gaza with Saudi, Emirati officials: State Dept.
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The phone conversations take place amidst US optimism regarding the prospect of a ceasefire agreement.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a press conference at the government house in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. (AP)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken conducted individual telephone conversations with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to discuss Gaza-related issues ahead of a potential ceasefire deal anticipated for the upcoming weekend, according to a press release from State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
"Secretary Blinken and the [Saudi Arabian] Foreign Minister pledged to continue close coordination, along with the Palestinians and other regional and international partners, on ways to resolve the conflict in Gaza and prepare for the post-conflict phase," Miller said in the release on Tuesday.
Miller highlighted that Blinken emphasized the United States' dedication to attaining enduring "peace by advocating for the creation of an independent Palestinian state with security assurances for Israel".
In a separate press release, Miller said that Blinken, in his call with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also stressed continued US commitment to achieving "sustained peace through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel".
Earlier, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, informed reporters that he is optimistic that a deal regarding the release of captives and a ceasefire between "Israel" and Hamas will be reached by next Monday.
"My national security adviser tells me that we’re close, we’re close. It’s not done yet, and my hope is that by next Monday we’ll have a ceasefire," Biden said.
'PIJ say not agree to 'worst' Paris ceasefire draft'
Earlier, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) official Ihsan Ataya told Al Mayadeen on Tuesday that the Paris ceasefire draft has been the worst one presented to the Resistance yet, adding that the Resistance would not agree to those ceasefire demands.
"The US and Israeli leaks that have come out aim to pressure the Palestinians and change their views about the Resistance," he said.
The Israeli occupation is trying to pressure the Resistance in an attempt to reach a ceasefire before Holy Ramadan "as a precaution against the likely outbreak of violence that would take place in occupied al-Quds" and the occupied West Bank if the situation remains as it is, Ataya added.
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
