TOKYO: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Wednesday that it is clear that Israel cannot occupy Gaza following the war. This statement came from the highest-ranking US diplomat after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration that Israel could oversee Gaza’s security for an “indefinite period.”
Talking to reporters after a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Tokyo, Blinken further noted, “While there may be a need for a transitional phase at the conclusion of the conflict, it is essential for the Palestinian people to play a central role in governing Gaza and the West Bank. We firmly reject the notion of reoccupation.”
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Blinken emphasized that there should be no forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, not now, not after the war, and no reoccupation of Gaza following the end of the ongoing conflict. He said that when he spoke to the Israeli leaders, they didn’t show their intention to reoccupy Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested taking control of security in Gaza, but President Joe Biden and US officials do not support a reoccupation by Israeli forces.
