Feb 07 Netanyahu rejects Hamas terms for cease-fire, vows to fight until ‘absolute victory’ By Matthew Lee, Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy, Associated Press Blinken said an agreement between the sides was still possible. But Netanyahu's remarks also underscored how wide the chasm between Israel and Hamas remains as the war enters its fifth month. Continue reading
Feb 06 Blinken meets with Egyptian mediators to push for cease-fire in Gaza By Matthew Lee, Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy, Associated Press Egypt fears an expansion of combat to the Rafah area could push terrified Palestinian civilians across the border, a scenario Egypt has said it is determined to prevent. Continue reading
Feb 05 Watch 3:03 Blinken returns to Middle East in push for Gaza cease-fire, release of hostages By Nick Schifrin, Solveig Rennan Secretary of State Blinken returned to the Middle East hoping to make progress on a deal to pause the war in Gaza and release Israeli hostages. The Biden administration hopes the deal could lead to larger diplomatic initiatives across the… Continue watching
Feb 05 Obstacles loom as Blinken returns to Middle East to negotiate plans for Gaza By Matthew Lee, Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy, Associated Press Blinken hopes to press ahead with a potential cease-fire deal and postwar planning while tamping down regional tensions. But on on all three fronts he faces major challenges. Continue reading
Feb 04 Watch 3:21 News Wrap: U.S. vows ‘sustained’ military response to Iran-backed attacks In our news wrap Sunday, U.S. officials say they are not done yet with their military response in the Middle East, another atmospheric river threatens California with flooding and mudslides, Moscow-appointed officials say Ukrainian shelling killed at least 28 people… Continue watching
Jan 31 Secretary of State Blinken set to return to the Mideast for 5th time since Gaza conflict began By Matthew Daly, Associated Press The trip comes as discussions over a cease-fire and hostage release are intensifying, but also as fears grow of a regional conflict. Continue reading
Jan 29 WATCH: Blinken and NATO head Stoltenberg meet as Sweden moves closer to military alliance entry By Lolita C. Baldor, Aamer Madhani, Zeke Miller, Associated Press The brazen attack, which the Biden administration blames on Iranian-based proxies, adds another layer of complexity to an already tense Mideast situation as the Biden administration tries to keep the Israel-Hamas war from expanding into a broader regional conflict. Continue reading
Jan 22 Blinken begins Africa tour in Cape Verde, touting the U.S. as a key security and economic partner By Chinedu Asadu, Associated Press Blinken has begun a tour of four African countries, meeting with the leaders of Cape Verde and Ivory Coast and touting America as the continent's key economic and security ally at times of regional and international crises. Blinken is visiting… Continue reading
Jan 18 Blinken’s latest diplomatic trip will take him to Africa as crises continue to vex U.S. foreign policy By Matthew Lee, Associated Press The State Department says Blinken will go to Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Angola starting Sunday for talks focused on regional security, conflict prevention, democracy promotion and trade. Continue reading
Jan 10 Watch 4:06 Blinken urges Palestinian Authority to show it’s ready to govern Gaza after war By William Brangham, Alexis Cox, Zeba Warsi The Biden administration has spent Wednesday pressing the Palestinian Authority to reform itself and show it's ready to govern Gaza after the Israel-Hamas war. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken carried that message to the authority's president, Mahmoud Abbas, in the… Continue watching