Blinken’s sixth round of shuttle diplomacy

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel this week as part of his sixth urgent mission to the Middle East since the Israelis’ war with Hamas began in October, as relations between the two countries have soured dramatically in recent weeks.

The visit comes amid a flurry of calls, planned trips by US and Israeli officials and public airings of severe disagreements over the state of the conflict and what will happen to Gaza after the war ends.

The State Department said the Israel stop would cap Blinken’s latest Mideast tour that started in Saudi Arabia today and will continue in Egypt tomorrow. The top US diplomat will be in Tel Aviv after talks with Arab leaders and foreign ministers in Jeddah and Cairo focused on the war in Gaza.

Tensions between the US and Israel over the prosecution of the Gaza war have been mounting for months over rising civilian casualties. And they have intensified as Israeli

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will ignore US President Joe Biden’s warnings not to start a large-scale ground operation in Rafah without credible plans to protect innocent Palestinians who have sought refuge there.

Opposition to the war in the US, Arab nations and much of the rest of the world has shaped the evolution of Blinken’s frequent trips to the region since October.

His first two visits were largely focused on re-affirming US support for Israel in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attacks, but as civilian Palestinian casualties began to multiply and humanitarian conditions in Gaza deteriorated, his emphasis shifted to boosting humanitarian assistance and protecting innocents.

Since late last year, Blinken has used his visits to stress the importance of Arab support for “day after” plans for Gaza and to coax Israeli leaders towards accepting a status for the Palestinians that could help ensure Israel’s long-term security. —AP