On his fourth visit to Israel this week since its war with Hamas started, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered a message of strong support for the country, but also some criticism. He arrived in Israel yesterday having already been to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, UAE, Turkey and Greece. Next on his agenda are visits to the Palestinian Authority and Egypt. Blinken’s Middle Eastern tour aims to create a more peaceful and stable region to enhance Israeli security – a particularly monumental task.
The Biden administration wants to prevent the war between Israel and Hamas from expanding onto new fronts. They have been anxiously following developments on the border with Lebanon. Exchange of fire between both sides, initiated by the Iran-backed militant organisation Hezbollah at the start of the war, have intensified dramatically following Israel’s assassination of Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut on 2 January and the killing of three Hezbollah commanders in the past two days.
Although Hezbollah would like to avoid an escalation into a full blown war with Israel, it is essential for Israeli security that the heavily armed group moves away from the border and keeps at a safe distance.
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