Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas are “inside the 10 yard line and driving toward the goal line,” according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken who spoke Friday at the Aspen Security Institute with NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly.
“We often know the last 10 yards are often the hardest,” he added, noting the question now is finishing negotiating some critical details.
Blinken said the United States continues to believe that the quickest way to bring the war to an end and to bring relief to the people of Gaza who so desperately need it is through an agreement on a ceasefire and hostages.
He dodged Kelly’s direct question about reports of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deliberately sabotaging the ceasefire negotiations and carefully answered how he is dealing with the prime minister.
“I’m not focused on personalities, I’m focused on policies,” Blinken said, which led to some laughter from the audience. “And we want to make sure as we go forward with anyone, whether it’s our Israeli allies or anyone else, that we reach agreements on the concrete steps to be taken to move whatever it is we’re trying to move forward.”
Blinken said what he’s hearing across Israeli society is a strong desire to “get this done” and to get a ceasefire and the hostages home.
A need for two states
When asked if the future for a two state solution is dead, Blinken replied, “not only is not that, it can’t be.”
Though he said there are fundamental realities that can’t be escaped, that between Gaza and the West bank, there are over five million Palestinians and there are about seven million Israeli Jews.
“Neither is going anywhere,” he said. “Palestinians are not going anywhere. The Jews are not going anywhere.”
There has to be an accommodation that brings lasting peace and lasting security to Israelis who so desperately want it and need it, and fulfills the right to self determination of the Palestinians, Blinken said.
On Iran he said, “where we are now is not a good place,” as they’re likely weeks away from developing having the breakout capacity of producing fissile material for a nuclear weapon, though Iran has not developed a nuclear weapon itself.
We need to see if Iran is serious about actually pulling back, he said, adding the Biden administration has “been maximizing pressure on Iran across the board.”