U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the West Bank on Sunday for an unannounced visit and met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas amid rising tensions due to the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh stated that Abbas informed Blinken that there must be an immediate ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid for the residents of the Gaza Strip.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller revealed to Reuters that Blinken told Abbas that the Palestinian Authority must play a central role in what comes next in Gaza. He added, "The future of Gaza was not the focus of the meeting, but the Palestinian Authority appeared ready to play a role."
Miller stated that Blinken and Abbas "discussed efforts to restore calm and stability in the West Bank, including the need to stop extremist violence against Palestinians and hold those responsible accountable."
Blinken suggested that the most logical solution is for an "effective and revitalized Palestinian Authority" to ultimately manage the sector, but he acknowledged that other countries and international agencies are likely to play a role in security and governance in the meantime.
Blinken and Abbas met in the city of Ramallah as part of Blinken's second trip to the region since Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7.
