Blinken meets in London with leaders of three Middle Eastern countries - CNN
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (photo: Getty Images)
On Friday, October 25, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit London, where he will meet with his Jordanian and Emirati counterparts, as well as the caretaker Prime Minister of Lebanon, reports CNN.
Meetings with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan are expected to focus on efforts to support plans for stability, security, and recovery in the Gaza Strip following the end of the war.
Meanwhile, Blinken's meeting with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati will address the Israeli military campaign against Hezbollah, which has resulted in significant civilian casualties in Lebanon, including in the capital, Beirut.
At a press conference on Thursday, the US Secretary of State stated that Israel's fight against Hezbollah cannot lead to - and should not lead to - a prolonged campaign in Lebanon. He urged Israel to take necessary measures to prevent harm to civilians, Lebanese military personnel, and UN peacekeepers.
Blinken's visit to the Middle East
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken began his Middle East visit on October 21.
The diplomat traveled to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. During his trip, Blinken sought to prevent escalation and the widening of the war in the context of Israel's planned retaliation against Iran for the missile attack on October 1.
Blinken also aimed to negotiate the release of hostages and establish a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip following the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
These efforts appear to have yielded some progress, as Blinken and his Qatari counterpart announced that negotiations would resume this weekend. However, a breakthrough before the US election seems unlikely.
