US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday, underscoring the US opposition to an Israeli assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Blinken “reiterated the United States’ clear position on Rafah,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. He added that Blinken said there was an improvement in the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, but stressed that this shift must be increased further.
High-stakes meetings
Blinken and Netanyahu first met privately before a larger meeting that also included both country’s ambassadors, Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and the US assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, Barbara Leaf. After he met with Netanyahu, Blinken met with Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid.
