Israel agreeing to a Palestinian state would be the best solution: Blinken

Cairo: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken opined on Thursday that for Israel, agreeing on a Palestinian state is the best solution for isolating Iran, normalising regional ties and resolving conflict, Asian News International reported.

The Jerusalem Post quoted Blinken, "One can have an integrated region with Israel--integrated with security assurances and commitments from regional countries, as well as from the United States--and a Palestinian state, or one can continue to see the terrorism, the nihilism, the destruction by Hamas, by the Houthis, by Hezbollah--all backed by Iran."

The US Secretary of State made these remarks while addressing media persons in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, as he wrapped up a week-long trip that also included visits with top officials in Turkey, Greece, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank, and Bahrain.

Addressing media in Cairo, Blinken said, "If you build that integration, if you bring Israel in, if you make the necessary commitments to security, and you move down the path to a Palestinian state, that's the single best way to isolate, to marginalise Iran and the proxies," Jerusalem Post quoted.

Blinken, who wrapped up his trip in the Middle Eastern countries on the day, said that the choice between the two paths- Palestinian state or continuing annihilation- is clear for many leaders in the region, which is also the path the US wish to pursue through diplomacy in the coming weeks or months.

Blinken also took issue with the death toll in Gaza, which has surpassed 23,000.

However, Blinken supported Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which is supposed to be intended to oust Hamas. He emphasised the importance of ensuring security in the region.