UPDATE ON THE SITUATION – “The agreement is ready to be concluded and implemented,” said Blinken after Qatar affirmed that discussions on this agreement were at the “final stage”.
Blinken made several statements regarding the situation in the Middle East and discussions on a deal between Hamas and Israel. Blinken also demands that Israel accept a path to Palestinian statehood that is subject to a timetable and conditions. President Macron is expected in Lebanon this Friday, the first visit by a foreign head of state to Beirut since the election of the new Lebanese president. Le Figaro takes stock of the situation.
Emmanuel Macron visits Lebanon on Friday
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected in Lebanon on Friday, the first visit by a foreign head of state since the election of new Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the presidency announced in Beirut on Tuesday.
Joseph Aoun discussed with the French Ambassador to Lebanon Hervé Magro the “preparations for the visit that French President Emmanuel Macron plans to make to Lebanon next Friday”specified the presidency in a press release.
“A reformed Palestinian Authority”
“The ball is in Hamas’ court” to conclude an agreement on a truce in the Gaza Strip, American Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday, January 14, after 15 months of a war between Israel and the Palestinian movement which left tens of thousands dead. “If Hamas accepts it, the agreement is ready to be concluded and implemented”Blinken said a few hours after Qatar affirmed that discussions on this agreement were at the «stade final».
Embark on the path to the formation of an independent Palestinian state
Antony Blinken
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Blinken is demanding that Israel accept a path to Palestinian statehood that is subject to a timetable and conditions. “Israel will have to accept the reunification of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the leadership of a reformed Palestinian Authority”said the outgoing head of American diplomacy, after 15 months of war between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas. “All must embark on the path to the formation of an independent Palestinian state, respecting the conditions and deadlines set”.
The American Secretary of State also estimated that the Palestinian Authority must manage the post-war in Gaza, with a provisional role for the UN and foreign partners. “We believe that the Palestinian Authority should invite foreign partners to help establish and manage an interim administration in charge of the main civilian sectors in Gaza”declared Blinken, thus revealing the contours of a plan to manage the post-war in Gaza.
Normalization with Riyadh, a “motivation” for an agreement, according to Blinken
A normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel would be the “best of motivations” to reach an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.
“The prospect of normalization (relations) between Israel and Saudi Arabia constitutes the best opportunity to achieve Israel's long-sought goal of greater integration” in the Middle East, said Blinken, who had negotiated such an agreement without success. “It is also the best motivation for the parties to make the difficult decisions necessary to fully realize the aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians.”
