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A2 u.s. news
Monday 5 deceMber 2022

Blinken vows U.S. support for Israel despite unease over gov’t

By MATTHEW LEE group that some on the duced for the people of
AP Diplomatic Writer right accuse of being too our nations and the world
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sec- sympathetic to the Pales- — has always been under-
retary of State Antony Blink- tinians and Iran, Blinken written by the United States
en said Sunday the U.S. will said the United States will ironclad commitment to
not shrink from its unwaver- remain a stalwart friend Israel's security, a commit-
ing support for Israel despite of Israel even as it pursues ment that has never been
stark differences with Prime goals that Netanyahu has stronger than it is today,"
Minister-elect Benjamin opposed, including a two- he said. Blinken said the
Netanyahu and concerns state resolution to the Israe- Biden administration would
the Biden administration li-Palestinian conflict and a engage with Netanyahu's
may have about potential restoration of the languish- government based on its
members of his incoming ing 2015 Iran nuclear deal. policies and not on person-
right-wing government. The U.S.-Israel "partner- alities, including potential
Speaking to a left-leaning ship — and all that it's pro- senior Cabinet ministers Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the J Street National
Conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, Sun-
day, Dec. 4, 2022.
Associated Press

who have expressed vehe- police force. Meanwhile,
ment anti-Palestinian and Smotrich, leader of the Re-
anti-Arab views in the past. ligious Zionism party, which
But, Blinken also warned shares anti-Palestinian and
that the U.S. would object anti-gay views, has been
to policies that marginalize offered oversight over the
the Palestinians, diminish Israeli agency for Palestin-
their "horizon for hope," or ian civil affairs.
make a two-state resolu- Blinken noted that the U.S.-
tion more difficult. He said Israel relationship is sev-
those would be detrimen- en decades old and the
tal to Israel's long-term se- Biden administration would
curity or future as a Jewish "speak honestly" with the
democratic state. new Israeli government
"We expect the new Israeli as well as the Palestinians,
government to continue to whose leaders he said must
work with us to advance also refrain from raising ten-
our shared values, just as sions that endanger a two-
we have previous govern- state solution.
ments," he said. He pointed out that the
"We will gauge the govern- Biden administration con-
ment by the policies it pur- tinues to support its prede-
sues rather than individual cessor's recognition of Jeru-
personalities. We will hold salem as Israel's capital and
it to the mutual standards is working to expand former
we have established in our President Donald Trump's
relationship over the past "Abraham Accords" that
seven decades," Blinken saw several Arab nations
said. U.S. officials have normalize relations with Is-
previously expressed con- rael. He lauded the recent
cerns about the possible completion of a maritime
positions in Netanyahu's border accord between
government of at least two Israel and Lebanon. Blink-
right-wing Israeli politicians: en's comments came at
Itamar Ben-Gvir and Beza- the annual conference of
lel Smotrich. J Street, a pro-Israel group
Ben-Gvir, a lawmaker that has distinguished itself
known for anti-Arab vit- from the much larger and
riol and provocative stunts, older American Israel Pub-
has been offered the job of lic Affairs Committee by
national security minister, a advancing positions often
powerful position that will supported by the Demo-
put him in charge of Israel's cratic party.q