Sec. of State Antony Blinken says that after the war, Israel and Gaza can't go back to the old status quo.
This is a hint that the US might be looking to a viable long term agreement for Palestine.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken: I think we know two things. We can’t go back to the status quo. They can’t go back to the status quo with Hamas being in a position, in terms of its governance of Gaza, to repeat what it did. At the same time, what I’ve heard from the Israelis is absolutely no intent, no desire, to be running Gaza themselves. They moved out of Gaza unilaterally, unconditionally, a couple of decades ago.
Kristen Welker of NBC's Meet the Press: Yeah.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken: But they can’t be in a position where they’re constantly at the threat of the most horrific terrorist attacks coming from Gaza. So something needs to be found that ensures that Hamas can’t do this again, but that also doesn’t revert to Israeli governance of Gaza, which they do not want and do not intend to do. There are different – there are different ideas out there about what could follow, but all of that, I think needs, to be worked. And it’s something that needs to be worked even as Israel is dealing with the current threat.
From a Department of State transcript of Blinken's interview on Sunday at Meet the Press.
Those last two sentences are revelatory – coming from a diplomat. Working out a deal which guarantees both Israeli security and a Palestinian state may be something the Biden administration wishes to examine. The last concerted American attempt was in 2000 under Bill Clinton.
It's a major project which has not succeeded in the past; though that doesn't mean it can't succeed in the future. There are numerous stumbling blocks such as the existence of terrorist groups like Hamas. But just after a nasty war may be the best time to look at a permanent peace with justice.
Things do look dreadful right now. But everybody needs to be ready if a brief window of opportunity opens when the dust settles.
