Blinken: Gaza reconstruction will loosen Hamas' foothold
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that "far from empowering Hamas," aiding the reconstruction of Gaza in the wake of Israeli airstrikes "has the potential to undermine" the organization. "I say that because Hamas thrives, unfortunately, on despair, on misery, on desperation, on the lack of opportunity."
Reconstruction and relief efforts, he continued, should not only "answer the immediate needs," but also "offer a genuine prospect for opportunity, for progress, for material improvement in people's lives. And our goal is to give the Palestinian people, including those in Gaza, a renewed sense of confidence ... and if we succeed ... then Hamas' foothold in Gaza will slip."
"Our goal is to give the Palestinian people, including those in Gaza, a renewed sense of confidence, of optimism, of opportunity," Sec. of State Blinken says while discussing relief efforts for Gaza. "If we're able to do that, Hamas' foothold in Gaza will slip." pic.twitter.com/mhm2tB96MM
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 25, 2021
During his press conference in Jerusalem, Blinken also laid out the U.S.'s general objectives when it comes to the Israel-Palestine question. He reaffirmed Washington's commitment to Israel's security, but the Quincy Institute's Joe Cirincione argued the secretary was also hinting at a reoriented approach that will focus more heavily on strengthening the U.S.'s relationship with the Palestinian people.
.@SecBlinken seems to be reorienting US policy towards a more balanced approach. His objectives, his language, his actions (including aid for Gaza reconstruction) all point to reshaping the US relationship with the Palestinian people while ensuring Israel’s security. https://t.co/ffpdPcknfr
— Joe Cirincione (@Cirincione) May 25, 2021
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