Blinken to Visit Israel and Others from 21st to 25th
White House Advisor Also Dispatched as Middle East Special Envoy
President Joe Biden has dispatched U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken and White House Senior Advisor Amos Hochstein to the Middle East. With the U.S. presidential election just 15 days away on November 5, this move is analyzed as an effort to pressure for the release of hostages and an end to the Gaza war following the recent death of Hamas leader. There is also a strategic intention for President Biden, who has given up on re-election, to push for Middle East peace negotiations and make it his final achievement during his term.
According to the U.S. State Department on the 21st (local time), Secretary Blinken will visit Israel and other countries in the Middle East from today until the 25th.
During this Middle East visit, Secretary Blinken plans to discuss ways to end the Gaza war and secure the release of all hostages. He will also exchange views on the importance of alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people. While discussing post-conflict plans, Blinken intends to emphasize the need for Palestinians to break free from Hamas rule and rebuild their lives freely. He will call for increased humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip and urge a diplomatic resolution to the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Additionally, President Biden has dispatched Senior Advisor Hochstein as a special envoy to Lebanon. On the same day, Hochstein met with Nabih Berri, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, urging Israel and Hezbollah to cease hostilities.
The visits by Secretary Blinken and Special Envoy Hochstein come shortly after Israel eliminated Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on the 17th. With Hamas’s terrorist capabilities dismantled, the Biden administration sees this as a golden opportunity to change the Middle East situation, including ending the Gaza conflict. President Biden is particularly aiming to bring hostages home and end the Gaza war as his final accomplishment during his term.
Immediately after Sinwar’s death, President Biden described it as a moment of relief for Israel and an opportunity for the Gaza Strip to experience a "next day" without armed groups in power. He stated at the time, "Yahya Sinwar was an insurmountable obstacle to achieving all objectives, but he no longer exists," and added, "We will discuss ways to bring the hostages back to their families and homes and to end this war that has caused tremendous harm to innocent people."
With the presidential election approaching, achieving results on Middle East issues is also quite important for the Democratic Party to regain power. Arab and Muslim Americans have opposed the Biden administration’s support for Israel, which has also negatively affected Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, has pointed out that the Gaza war was triggered by the Biden administration’s easing of sanctions against Iran.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
