(Daily360.com) – The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that he believes in order for peace to come for the people of Gaza and those in Israel a Palestinian state is likely necessary. Blinken was interviewed by CNBC while at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday January, 16th. He stressed the need to create Palestinian state in order for neighboring nations to support the integration of Israel.
Blinken said the neighboring nations, including Saudi Arabia, are apprehensive about investing in a potential Gaza rebuild just to see it all destroyed again in a few years. It’s his belief that Israel must commit to a pathway that leads to a Palestinian state. Blinken stressed that unless this happens he does not expect there to be peace, stability, or growth in the region.
Blinken framed it as needing to “resolve the Palestinian question” before countries could be expected to invest in Gaza. Hamas terrorists attacked Israel in October of 2023, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking several dozen others hostage. Referring to Israel’s natural apprehension about empowering their enemies with a new nation that they would have to agree to and likely partially fund, Blinken gave a non-answer and said “the Arab piece of the equation and Palestinian peace” will assure Israel’s security.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister also spoke from the Davos conference about this issue and said his nation may formally recognize Israel if it were to agree to help create a Palestinian state. Blinken has been working on a rough deal with these regional nations to rebuild Gaza prior to the WEF conference. His framework deal would combine the new Palestinian state’s creation with regional economic interests integrating with Israel.
A large faction of the Israeli government is steadfastly opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state and the ongoing war would make it highly unlikely such a deal could be brokered. Reports from the area say that more than 24,000 people may have been killed in Gaza since fighting began.
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