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Israeli officials were Wednesday scrutinizing an unusually stern letter from the U.S. government threatening to review military assistance to the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if it continued to block essential aid from entering the Gaza Strip. People involved in aid distribution in Gaza told NBC News that several trucks had entered Gaza City in the north of the enclave, but that aid had not been distributed elsewhere. Since Sept. 30, he said, “only 12 trucks of food have actually made it to the population” through the Erez border crossing in northern Gaza. While the U.N. only counts its own trucks, Israel includes commercial vehicles in its tallies. The State Department says U.S. pressure placed on Israel in April did work and humanitarian assistance increased.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, haven’t, Andrew Miller, State Anthony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Axios, COGAT, Scott Anderson, John Kirby, Blinken “, ”, it’s, we’ve, ” Charles Hollis, “, It’s, Biden, Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Ron Dermer Organizations: U.S, State, Defense, State Department, NBC News, Israeli Defense Ministry, United Nations Relief, Works Agency, House, Gaza, The State Department, Israeli, Strategic Affairs, Reuters Locations: Gaza, United States, U.S, Israel, Gaza City, New York, British, Austin, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Nabatieh

☆ Blinken heads to Egypt but not Israel with prospects for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal bleak
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Kylie Atwood | Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

This is the first time since the October 7 attacks that Blinken has visited the Middle East without visiting Israel. The top US diplomat typically uses the visits to Israel to press the Israeli government on the critical issues surrounding the war, including the hostage and ceasefire deal. However, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has frequently rebuffed the administration in the hours and days following those meetings. The last time Blinken visited Israel, he said that Netanyahu had agreed to the “bridging proposal” meant to close to close the remaining gaps with Hamas. Blinken said earlier this month that “it’s incumbent on both parties” – Israel and Hamas – “to get to yes” on the “remaining issues” related to a ceasefire and hostage deal.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, Badr Abdelatty, Netanyahu, Yahya Sinwar, United Nations Linda Thomas, Greenfield, ” Thomas, ”, Bill Burns, – Netanyahu, ” –, – “, Sinwar, Hassan Nasrallah, Biden, we’ll, John Kirby Organizations: CNN, Israel, State Department, Egyptian Foreign, United Nations, Hamas, Biden, Egyptian, Qatari, Security Locations: Egypt, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Qatar, Washington, ” – Israel, Lebanese

☆ Biden and Netanyahu are expected to meet later this month in Washington, source says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —President Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to meet in Washington, DC, in several weeks when the Israeli prime minister visits to address Congress on July 24, a source familiar told CNN. US and Israeli officials are still in the process of nailing down logistical details for the Biden-Netanyahu meeting, which would likely take place at the White House, the source said. A White House official told CNN that Biden has known Netanyahu for decades, and that “they will likely see each other when the Prime Minister is here over the course of that week. But we have nothing to announce at this time.”CNN has also reached out to the prime minister’s office for comment. Last month, Biden said in an interview that Netanyahu may be dragging out the war in an attempt to cling to power and said it was “uncertain” whether Israel had committed war crimes.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Biden, “, ”, ” Biden, Israel, Antony Blinken “, Amos Hochstein, Netanyahu’s, CNN’s Jack Forrest, Christian Edwards, Tara John, Kevin Liptak, Natasha Bertrand, Arlette Saenz, Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood, Melanie Zanona, Oren Liebermann, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn Organizations: CNN, Biden, White, ” CNN Locations: Washington , DC, Israel, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Washington

☆ US officials went line-by-line through arms shipments to Israel with defense minister to rebut Netanyahu’s delay claim
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-26 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —American officials went through a line-by-line explanation of hundreds of US weapons shipments to Israel in meetings this week with the country’s defense minister in a bid to rebut claims from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that President Joe Biden was delaying military assistance. The meetings with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant came amid a growing spat between the Biden administration and Netanyahu, who has claimed that armaments are being delayed to the intense frustration of Washington. “We had a very good opportunity to sit down with experts from across our system and go through every single case,” a senior US administration official said. Since Netanyahu first took his complaints public last week, White House officials have brushed off some of his comments as motivated by politics as he works to maintain a fragile grip on power. We look forward to constructive consultations with the defense minister in Washington this week,” a White House official said.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Yoav Gallant, Biden, Netanyahu, Gallant, ”, Netanyahu’s, –, Antony Blinken “, ” Netanyahu, wasn’t, “ Organizations: Washington CNN — American, White, Officials Locations: Israel, Washington, Gaza, Rafah

CNN —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended his decision to go public about delays in the supply of weapons from the United States, saying months of private discussions did not yield any results. At the beginning of a cabinet meeting Sunday, Netanyahu said that “after months of no change in this situation, I decided to give it a public expression. The US remains Israel’s most important ally and biggest supplier of arms but has voiced increasing concern over the mounting civilian casualties in Gaza. Our ties are crucial and perhaps more important than ever, at this time,” Gallant told reporters, according to a statement from the Israeli defense ministry. The Israeli defense minister has clashed with Netanyahu, who is facing an ongoing battle to keep his government together.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, ” Netanyahu, Biden, Antony Blinken “, Amos Hochstein, ” “, Yoav Gallant, Lloyd Austin, ” Gallant, Gallant, ”, “ Organizations: CNN, Israeli, US, U.S Locations: United States, Israel, Gaza, Washington

CNN —US envoy Amos Hochstein told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a meeting on Tuesday in Israel that his public comments this week that the US is “withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel” were “unproductive” and “more importantly, completely untrue,” a senior US official told CNN. A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Israel confirmed that Lew spoke with Netanyahu on Tuesday. The meeting reflected the administration’s mounting frustration with the Israeli leader’s comments. Hochstein’s comments to Netanyahu weren’t the first time US officials have pushed back in private against public comments made by Netanyahu, but some US officials would like the Biden administration to go further, an administration official said. “In the meantime, meetings with Israeli officials are being held throughout the week at expert and senior levels on a range of topics.

Persons: Amos Hochstein, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel ”, ”, Israel Jack Lew, Netanyahu, Lew, ” Axios, Hochstein, Biden, Joe Biden, Netanyahu weren’t, “, that’s, ” Netanyahu, Antony Blinken “, ” Blinken, Israel won’t Organizations: CNN, Israeli, US Embassy, Israel Strategic Consultative, White, “ Locations: Israel, Gaza, Iran

☆ Blinken to travel to Middle East as US ratchets up pressure on ceasefire and hostage proposal
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-07 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The top US diplomat “will emphasize the importance of Hamas accepting the proposal on the table, which is nearly identical to one Hamas endorsed last month,” Miller said. Hamas has not yet put forward a formal response to the proposal, which was transmitted to Hamas’ political wing by the Qataris last Thursday. “We would hope for a response from Hamas as soon as possible, and we continue to wait,” Miller said at a press briefing Thursday. The top US diplomat has held a slew of calls to regional partners to discuss the proposal. Miller said on Wednesday that the US has seen both Egypt and Qatar “exert significant pressure on Hamas,” but he refused to get into the details of those separate pressure campaigns.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Matthew Miller, “, ” Miller, ”, Joe Biden, Bill Burns, Brett McGurk, Biden, Qatar –, –, Miller Organizations: CNN, ”, Hamas, CIA, US, Qatar, United Nations Locations: United, Gaza, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey

MUNICH (AP) — Top diplomats from the U.S. and China on Friday held a “candid and constructive” discussion on issues vexing their strained relations over Taiwan, the situation in the South China Sea, Russia’s war against Ukraine and synthetic opioids, the State Department said. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Blinken had emphasized the importance of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait as well as expanding on nascent counternarcotics efforts. Blinken also raised concerns about China's support for Russia’s defense industrial base that Washington sees as helping Moscow’s military operations against Ukraine. “The two sides had a candid and constructive discussion on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage competition in the relationship,” Miller said. Photos You Should See View All 33 Images“Both sides recognized the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between the United States and (China) across a range of strategic issues, including consultations and high-level meetings in key areas in the coming months,” he said.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Wang Yi, Joe Biden, Matthew Miller, Blinken, ” Miller, Blinken “, ” Organizations: —, State Department, Foreign, Munich, California . State Department, Washington, Ukraine, North Locations: MUNICH, U.S, China, Taiwan, South China, Ukraine, California ., Taiwan Strait, United States, North Korea

☆ Blinken spoke with detained American Paul Whelan on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on Monday with Paul Whelan, an American who has been detained in Russia for more than five years, the top US diplomat said Tuesday. And they will until he and Evan Gershkovich and every other American wrongfully detained is back with their loved ones,” Blinken said at an event on hostage diplomacy at the Wilson Center. State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said Tuesday that Blinken “assured Paul Whelan, as he has in his previous calls, that we’re with you. The time is now to take decisive action and bring this debacle to a close,” Whelan told CNN from his prison camp in Mordovia. Miller reiterated on Monday that the US has “put a significant offer on the table” to try to secure Whelan and Gershkovich’s release.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Paul Whelan, Paul, Evan Gershkovich, ” Blinken, Matt Miller, “, Biden, ” Miller, Whelan, Blinken, ” Whelan, Joe Biden, ”, Miller Organizations: CNN, Wilson Center . State, US State Department Locations: American, Russia, Mordovia

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken began a diplomatic push in the Middle East on Monday for a deal that would pause the war in the Gaza Strip and release the hostages there, even as a drone struck a military base used by American troops and allied forces in eastern Syria. Mr. Blinken, making his fifth trip to the region since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, met in Riyadh with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, in the first stop on a trip that will also include meetings in Egypt, Qatar, Israel and the West Bank. Speaking with the crown prince, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, Mr. Blinken “underscored the importance of addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza and preventing further spread of the conflict,” the State Department said. It added that they discussed “an enduring end to the crisis in Gaza that provides lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

Persons: Antony J, Blinken, Mohammed bin Salman, Blinken “, ” Organizations: West Bank, State Department Locations: Gaza, Syria, Israel, Riyadh, Saudi, Egypt, Qatar

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday stepped up calls for Israel to comply with international law as it wages its war against Hamas in Gaza. But he also said it is imperative that Israel protect civilians if it starts major military operations in southern Gaza. Netanyahu said he told Blinken, “This is the same Hamas that carried out the terrible massacre on Oct. 7, the same Hamas that tries to murder us everywhere. Blinken told Abbas "he would continue to insist on full accountability for those responsible,” the State Department said. Blinken also told Abbas that “the United States remains committed to advancing tangible steps for a Palestinian state,” it said.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Biden, Joe Biden's, Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken “, West Bank ”, Netanyahu, ”, —, ” Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas Organizations: —, Joe Biden's Democratic Party, Israeli, State Department, West Bank, United Arab Emirates Locations: TEL AVIV, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Jerusalem, Palestinian, United States, Dubai

Hamas freed two Israeli hostages Thursday afternoon and they were brought back into Israel, with more expected to follow, the Israeli military said. Israel had agreed to extend the truce by one day for every 10 militant-held hostages who are freed. Roughly 240 hostages were captured by Hamas in its Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel that ignited the war. ISRAEL SAYS 2 MORE HOSTAGES RELEASED FROM GAZAJERUSALEM — The Israeli military said Thursday that two Israeli hostages were released from captivity in the Gaza Strip. The two hostages are among a larger group of Israelis expected to be released Thursday as part of the latest extension of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

Persons: Israel, — Jake Sullivan, — Israel, Schumer, Pedro Sánchez, Eli Cohen, Sánchez “, ” Cohen, “, Sánchez, ” Sánchez, Israel ´, Karim Khan, Israel “, Khan, ISRAEL, BLINKEN, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Biden, Blinken “, Mahmoud Abbas, Tzarfati, Israel —, ”, David Adom, Zaki Heller, Doron Turgeman, AHED TAMIMI Organizations: Qatar, Health Ministry, Islamic, U.S, MADRID —, Spanish, Spanish National Television, “, Belgian, ICC, Cross, HAMAS TEL, Israel — U.S, State Department, West Bank, MAN, Jerusalem police, Army, JERUSALEM, Qatari Foreign Ministry, Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza, —, israel, MADRID — Israel, Spain, Palestinian, Egypt, Belgian, Spanish, HAGUE, Netherlands, Ramallah, GAZA JERUSALEM, ISRAEL, HAMAS TEL AVIV, U.S, Jerusalem, JERUSALEM, TEL AVIV, Qatar, AHED TAMIMI Israel

☆ Paul Whelan tells CNN he asked Blinken to ensure he's not left behind again
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Paul Whelan, an American who has been imprisoned in Russia for nearly five years, pressed Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call in August to ensure that he is not left behind again, Whelan told CNN. He has been designated as wrongfully detained by the US State Department. Whelan was not included in prisoner swaps that freed fellow wrongfully detained Americans Trevor Reed and Brittney Griner last year. “Secretary Blinken remains committed to bringing Paul home,” a State Department spokesperson told CNN on Monday. They’ll spin it out as long as they can, to try to pressure on him, as well as on the US government to do something,” he told CNN.

Persons: CNN — Paul Whelan, Antony Blinken, Whelan, “, ”, Blinken, Joe Biden “, he’s, Blinken “, ” Whelan, I’m, Whelan –, –, Trevor Reed, Brittney Griner, Konstantin Yaroshenko, Viktor Bout, Biden, Vadim Krasikov, Paul, Paul Whelan, ’ Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Evan Gershkovich, “ We’re Organizations: CNN, Marine, US State Department, “, State Department, Blinken Locations: American, Russia, Mordovia, Irish, Moscow, Russian, Germany, ”, United States, “

CAIRO (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return to Israel this week after completing a frantic six-country rush through Arab nations aimed at preventing the Israel-Hamas war from igniting a broader regional conflict. It was the last of Blinken's meetings with Arab leaders amid increasing fears that an impending Israeli ground offensive into Gaza could spark a wider war with devastating humanitarian consequences. In his talks with Arab leaders Blinken has stressed the importance of not allowing that to happen. The Arab leaders have also said the current situation cannot be resolved without an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal that gives the Palestinians an independent state. After the attacks, Blinken changed his plans so he could get to Israel quickly to show solidarity.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Israel —, Abdel Fattah al, Matthew Miller, ” Miller, Blinken, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Wang Yi, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Israel, Prince Mohammed, “, ” Organizations: —, U.S . State Department, Saudi Crown, United Arab, Palestinian Authority, Foreign, U.S ., Saturday, Hezbollah, Israeli, Saudi, State Department, Saudi Press Agency Locations: CAIRO, Israel, Cairo, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Egypt, Riyadh, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Iran, Syria, States, Saudi, Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Niger’s deposed President Mohamed Bazoum on Monday ahead of an expected decision by the Biden administration to formally declare that his overthrow was a coup d’etat. “The United States calls for the immediate release of all those unjustly detained following the military takeover,” the department said. The administration had been delaying a coup decision because Niger plays a critical role in U.S. counterterrorism activity in Africa's Sahel region. The officials could not say if the expected coup determination would result in the withdrawal of any U.S. personnel from Niger. The U.S., France and other European countries had poured hundreds of millions of dollars into shoring up the Nigerien military.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Mohamed Bazoum, Biden, Blinken, Blinken “, Blinken's, —, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, The State Department, State Department, Pentagon, Islamic, Nigerien Locations: Niger, United States, Sahel, The U.S, France

The administration said it would redirect $55 million worth of that funding to Taiwan and $30 million to Lebanon, the sources said. However, the administration will allow Cairo to access $235 million of the total of $320 million in foreign military financing that is conditioned on human rights issues, a senior State Department official said Thursday. The US provides more than $1 billion in foreign military financing to Egypt and the vast majority of it is not conditional. “Our position on the very serious human rights situation in Egypt absolutely has not changed and we’re going to continue to raise those issues in Egypt consistently and at the most senior levels,” they added. “The Secretary is determined that Egypt has not fulfilled his conditions and therefore we are reprogramming that 85 million,” the official said.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Antony Blinken “, ”, Antony Blinken, “, Gregory Meeks Organizations: CNN, State Department, Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, House Foreign, Administration Locations: Egypt, Taiwan, Lebanon, Cairo, U.S, China

☆ Russian Missile Strike in Ukraine Kills 1: Live Updates
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Victoria Kim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Mr. Blinken “affirmed our unwavering support to Romania, our NATO ally,” according to a State Department summary of the call. American military officials did not respond to requests for comment on Friday. Russian drones have struck the port city repeatedly in recent weeks as Moscow targets what has been a shipping lifeline for Ukraine. Throughout the war, NATO aircraft have frequently intercepted Russian fighter jets that have flown too close to allied nations’ airspace. Three weeks ago, British and Danish fighter jets were scrambled to confront Russian bombers that officials said were heading toward Scotland and the Netherlands.

Persons: Antony J, Blinken, Luminita, Blinken “, ”, Klaus Iohannis, Andrew Higgins Organizations: NATO, Department Locations: Ukraine, United States, Ukrainian, Russian, Romania, Kyiv, United, Bucharest, Eastern Europe, Izmail, Moscow, Danish, Scotland, Netherlands

☆ Biden admin believes hack gave China insights into US thinking ahead of Blinken’s crucial Beijing visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Kylie Atwood | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The hack – which Microsoft said was launched in mid-May – was discovered by the State Department right around the time of Blinken’s visit to Beijing, officials said. Still, it provided the Chinese government with additional knowledge from the private discussions of US officials heading into Blinken’s visit. Another target of the hack, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is also expected to soon visit China. Blinken “raised” the issue of the hack in a meeting with top Chinese official Wang Yi in Indonesia on Thursday, a senior State Department official said. On Wednesday State Department Spokesperson Matt Miller said that the department had “detected anomalous activity” in June.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Antony Blinken’s, –, Edward Snowden, Charlie Bell, Blinken, Gina Raimondo, Blinken “, Wang Yi, “, Wang, Matt Miller, ” Miller Organizations: CNN, State Department, Microsoft, FBI, National Security Agency, NSA, The State Department, Wednesday State Locations: Beijing, China, Blinken’s, Indonesia

Stringer/ReutersThe RSF denied those reports, telling CNN in a statement that it “will never assault any UN staff or employees. Meanwhile, tense efforts to establish a ceasefire have ramped up, with the UN calling for rival factions to end their hostilities. Satellite imagery of the smoke plume at Khartoum International Airport on Sunday. The Sudanese Armed Forces later issued conflicting statements on a proposed 24-hour ceasefire, intended to go into effect later on Tuesday. Both sides had previously agreed to a three-hour ceasefire on Sunday, and again on Monday, with fighting resuming afterward, Perthes said.

CNN —The US State Department said Thursday it is “disappointed” by a Chinese court’s decision to uphold the death sentence for American citizen Mark Swidan and called for his immediate release. “Today the People’s Republic of China’s Jiangmen Intermediate Court denied wrongfully detained US national Mark Swidan’s appeal, and upheld his death penalty with a two-year suspended death sentence,” State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a statement. “We are disappointed by this decision and will continue to press for his immediate release and return to the United States,” Patel said. He was convicted of manufacturing and trafficking drugs in 2019 by the Jiangmen Intermediate People’s Court in southern Guangdong province and given a death sentence with a two-year reprieve. Under Chinese law, the reprieve means Swidan’s sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment after two years, subject to his conduct during this period.

☆ With GOP Ukraine skeptics poised to gain in Congress, lawmakers look to lock in billions in military aid
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Dan De Luce | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Julie-Tsirkin-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Congress last month approved $12 billion in military and economic aid to Ukraine, but the package being contemplated would be dramatically larger, the sources said. The amount would be enough “to make sure [Ukraine] can get through the year,” a Republican senator with knowledge of the matter told NBC News. Congress has allocated a total of $65 billion in funding to Ukraine since Russia attacked the country in February. “They don’t want to deal with it next year,” said Vajdich, a former Republican congressional staffer. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a staunch supporter of military aid to Ukraine, said last month that he had discussed the issue with McCarthy and that he agreed other countries need to do more to assist Ukraine.

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