US top diplomat to begin new Mideast tour amidst Israel's Gaza attacks

Just weeks after a frenzied trip to the Middle East, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the region with a somewhat more nuanced message than he offered in the immediate aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 operation on Israel and Israel's deadly military response to besieged Gaza.

As he did last month, Blinken is expected to reiterate Washington's support for Israel.

But Blinken's agenda this time is more crowded and more complex as the conflict intensifies and the Biden administration grapples with competing domestic and international interests and anger.

He'll push for the evacuation of more foreigners from Gaza and more humanitarian aid for the territory.

He’ll press Israel to rein in violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank committed by Israeli settlers. And, he’ll stress the importance of protecting civilians — even though the administration has yet to offer any criticism of Israel for strikes that have killed thousands of civilians in Gaza.

So, while calling for brief pauses in airstrikes and fighting for humanitarian purposes he will continue to oppose growing calls for a broader ceasefire.

Revitalising Palestinian Authority

President Joe Biden said Wednesday he thought there should be a humanitarian “pause” in Israel's war on Gaza in order to get “prisoners” out.

But, Blinken will also be introducing a new element to the US list of priorities: the need for Israel and its neighbours to begin to consider what a post-conflict Gaza will look like, who will govern it, how it can be made secure and how to establish an independent Palestinian state.

US officials, including Biden and Blinken, have said repeatedly that they do not believe an Israeli re-occupation of Gaza is feasible, and Israel agrees.

But what comes next has been little explored beyond brief comments Blinken made on Tuesday in congressional testimony when he talked about the possibility of a revitalised Palestinian Authority and perhaps Arab states and international organisations playing a significant role in post-conflict Gaza.

Widespread Israel criticism

Blinken will speak about “the US commitment to working with partners to set the conditions for a durable and sustainable peace in the Middle East to include the establishment of a Palestinian state that reflects the aspirations of the Palestinians in Gaza and in the occupied West Bank,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

The change in messaging reflects a shift in the international view of the war, of which Blinken has heard plenty since his last trip to the region when he travelled to Israel and six Arab states — several multiple times — in a frenetic shuttle diplomacy mission that required numerous last-minute schedule changes.

His itinerary after Jordan remains uncertain, although he will attend a Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting in Japan next week before travelling to South Korea and India for much broader discussions, including on Russia-Ukraine war and China.

The shift in public opinion has been palpable. After Hamas' October 7 attack, Israel now faces widespread criticism for its indiscriminate bombardent on Gaza