US President Joe Biden is set to make a visit to Israel on Wednesday, as confirmed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. This visit comes in the wake of recent attacks by Hamas.
During an eight-hour meeting at the defense ministry, Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, marking the second visit by the top US diplomat since the October 7 attacks by Hamas. The primary purpose of President Biden’s visit is to reaffirm the United States’ solidarity with Israel and its unwavering commitment to Israel’s security.
Blinken emphasized Israel’s right to defend its citizens from terrorist threats and to prevent future attacks. He mentioned that President Biden will engage in discussions with Israeli officials to determine their needs for defense, and the US will work with Congress to address those requirements.
In addition to visiting Tel Aviv, President Biden will also travel to Jordan, where he will meet with Jordanian King Abdullah II, Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
One notable development from this visit is Israel’s commitment to work on providing civilian aid to Gaza. The United States has secured assurances from Israel to facilitate foreign assistance to the impoverished and blockaded Gaza Strip. This includes the appointment of a new US coordinator on humanitarian aid, David Satterfield, who will collaborate with Israel to develop concrete plans for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza while minimizing the potential benefits to Hamas.
The United States and Israel are working on a plan that will enable humanitarian aid from donor nations and multilateral organizations to reach civilians in Gaza. Additionally, discussions are ongoing regarding the creation of safe areas to protect civilians from harm during the conflict.
President Biden has expressed solidarity with Israel while also being concerned about the impact of severe measures on civilians in Gaza. The US has called on Israel to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those in need and has pledged to condemn any obstruction by Hamas in this regard.
