U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken continues his intensive tour in the Middle East on Sunday in Jordan, calling for efforts to prevent the expansion of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Blinken began his visit by meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, who emphasized to Blinken the necessity of halting Israel's illegal actions in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Blinken arrived in Amman on Saturday night after stops in Turkey and Greece. He is set to hold talks on Sunday with Safadi and King Abdullah II, and visit one of the World Food Program centers in the capital, according to a member of his accompanying delegation.
On Saturday evening at Chania Airport in Crete, Greece, Blinken stated, "We must ensure that the conflict does not widen" in Gaza, where the war has entered its fourth month. He added, "One of the real concerns is the border between Israel and Lebanon, and we want to do everything possible to ensure the situation does not escalate." Blinken noted that "much of the discussions we will have in the coming days with all our allies and partners will revolve around the actions they can take using their influence and relationships to ensure that this conflict does not expand." He highlighted the "vital role" Turkey could play in this regard, following his discussions in Istanbul with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
After Jordan, Blinken will head to Qatar, which played a mediating role in the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in late November, allowing for the release of hostages from Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Blinken will conclude his day in Abu Dhabi, before heading to Saudi Arabia on Monday, and then to Israel, where he expects to have discussions that he confirmed "will not be easy."
