Blinken Meets With Netanyahu and War Cabinet in Yerushalayim

By Yoni Weiss

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and members of the War Cabinet, during his visit to Israel, on Thursday.

Netanyahu thanked Blinken for the support of the U.S. in the war against Hamas, and for its efforts to secure the release of hostages.

Netanyahu said at the start of the Cabinet meeting, “The Secretary and I had an opportunity to begin to discuss the many issues that we want to talk about. But first, I want to express our appreciation for your support from the beginning: the President, you personally, the delegation, in the war of eliminating Hamas and releasing, securing the release of our hostages. You’ve been very, very helpful. We appreciate it deeply. 

“And, of course, I’d like to talk to you about the next phase.”

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told Blinken: “Mr. Secretary, thank you for coming. Thank you for being here in the middle of the war – a just war. [A war] for the future of the Jewish people and the future of Israel. We appreciate very much your personal commitment to this just war, and we are going to fight Hamas till we prevail no matter how long it takes. It’s not a just war, it’s a war to defeat Hamas – the ISIS of Gaza, and it’s a war to bring the hostages back home – as long as it takes. Thank you.”

Attending the meeting for the Israeli side were Gallant, Minister Benny Gantz, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Minister Gadi Eisenkot, MK Rabbi Aryeh Deri, the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Tzachi Braverman, IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Prime Minister’s Military Secretary Maj.-Gen. Avi Gil, National Security Council Deputy Director Gil Reich., and Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs.

Attending for the American side are U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf, U.S. State Department Counsellor Derek Chollet, and Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues David Satterfield.