Washington DC, United States: Antony Blinken – the US Secretary of State, waited for hours to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, eventually was able to meet him the next day, according to a report published by the Washington Post.

This incident took place during Blinken’s visit to Israel and other Middle East countries. The US State Secretary toured the nation amid the Israel-Hamas conflict to showcase the US support towards Tel Aviv.

According to various reports, the meeting held a very important place for both the nations. The leaders reportedly discussed the ongoing uncertainties in the world, including the war between Israel and Gaza.

The meeting was productive: US State Secretary Blinken

Blinken has claimed that his meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince was productive despite the delay in the meeting. The reports have suggested that Blinken and Salman had very different perspectives regarding the escalation of the war.

Along with this, the topics discussed between both countries included lifting Israel’s blockade on Gaza and ways to stop the conflict between the nations. In this regard, the Saudi Crown Prince mentioned that the government has been effortlessly working to establish peace by strengthening regional ties.

Furthermore, he stated that authorities are also stepping towards Iran hosting regular dialogues with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.  

Several reports have stated that the Crown Prince of Saudi took the platform to express that the general public, Palestinians, must not suffer during the conflict. He emphasized that legitimate rights must be established for Palestinians to build lasting peace in the territory.

On the contrary, Blinken mentioned that the Israeli government and military must stand firm against the militant group and should attack Hamas as a reply to its attack on October 7. In addition to this, he outlined that several initiatives must be implemented to ensure that such attacks have not happened in the country.

The reporters were informed, “There’s a determination in every country I went to make sure that this conflict doesn’t spread. They are using their own influence, their own relationships, to try to make sure that this doesn’t happen.”

Antony Blinken’s visit to Israel:

In the midst of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas – a terrorist group designated by the US and EU, the US State Secretary visited Israel and the region to showcase America’s support.

During the visit, Blinken assured the government of Israel that the Biden administration would always take care of the needs of the nation as it fights against the militant group.

Antony Blinken’s meeting with Egyptian President

During this official tour, Blinken also met with Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the President of Egypt. In this meeting, both leaders discussed all the important topics – regional, national and international.

One of the important topics that was discussed by the leaders was the opening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. It is worth mentioning that during the current situation, the border crossing is an essential place for the civilians who are evacuated.

The US Secretary Blinken, according to the Washington Post, outlined, “Rafah will be open. We’re putting in place with the UN, with Egypt, Israel, with others, the mechanism by which to get the assistance in and to get it to people who need it.”

President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel

Following the official tour of US State Secretary, President Joe Biden has reached Israel to engage with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.