The Iranian threat and the need for the US and Israel to join forces in the fight "against the axis of evil and terrorism" that is nestled in Tehran seem to have been at the center of today's meeting in Jerusalem between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. At least, according to the official account from the prime minister's office.
The meeting, which lasted two and a half hours, was initially held by two people and only later were US and Israeli officials added.
In a previous indiscretion, leaked while the US secretary was still flying to Tel Aviv, Blinken's intention - according to a source accompanying him - was precisely to discourage any move that could drastically escalate the regional conflict. In particular after the sensational action by Hezbollah last Saturday, which hit Netanyahu's residence in Caesarea with a drone that escaped anti-aircraft fire - officially confirmed only today - and claimed entirely by the Shiite militiamen. While Tehran has distanced itself in more than one statement.
The note from Netanyahu's office then reported that the American secretary "expressed deep shock at the Iranian attempt to eliminate the prime minister through Hezbollah , making clear that this is an extreme and extraordinary event."
On the US side, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller preferred to put at the first point of the official note that Blinken "stressed the need to take advantage of Israel's successful action to bring Yahya Sinwar to justice", taking the opportunity to advance negotiations on the release of all hostages and end the conflict in Gaza. Not only that: on the agenda is obviously the issue that Joe Biden has been insisting on for months, that is, the government of the Strip in the post-war period .
Blinken, in the Middle East for the eleventh time since the beginning of the conflict, should also visit several Arab countries, presumably Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. And it is not excluded that the secretary's tireless activity has as its objective - in addition to the resumption of negotiations - to ensure logistical support in the region for the expected Israeli response to the Islamic Republic after the attack of October 1. As well as for a possible subsequent retaliation by the Revolutionary Guards.
Blinken's tour - which also included meetings with President Isaac Herzog and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant - appears to be a mirror diplomacy , as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has visited several Arab countries in recent days to try to build support ahead of Israel's retaliatory strike: speaking from Kuwait, Ali Khamenei's envoy said Gulf nations had assured them they would not allow their territory to be used for an Israeli attack.
Blinken's arrival followed by a few hours that of Joe Biden's envoy Amos Hochstein, who arrived in Beirut on Monday, where he presented a proposal for a ceasefire in Lebanon. According to Kan TV, the secretary of state discussed the plan with Netanyahu.
The Lebanese daily al Akhbar, close to Hezbollah, revealed the main points of the draft in the morning: "The aim is to prevent any armed presence in Lebanese areas and villages near the border", that is, to expand the area where there will be no Hezbollah presence a few kilometers beyond the Litani River. UNIFIL will be strengthened and will have the authority to search homes, vehicles or outposts suspected of containing weapons. So far, nothing has been known about Bibi's thoughts on the plan. In the evening, the prime minister brought together senior officials from the security establishment and some ministers. Meanwhile, from Iran, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards Mohammad Ali Jafari said it was unlikely that Israel would make a "significant move" against Tehran, imagining that it would instead carry out a symbolic "limited attack".
(Online Union)
