TEL AVIV: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday he understood on a personal level “the harrowing echoes that Hamas’s massacres carry for Israeli Jews” and that Washington was at Israel’s side. Israel was Blinken’s first stop as he began a Middle East trip aimed at containing the conflict.

From a podium next to the Israeli prime minister at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Blinken urged Israel to show restraint, in his most direct plea so far, asking that it take every possible precaution to protect civilian life.

Washington’s top diplomat embarked on a multi-country tour as Israel unleashed the most powerful bombing campaign in its 75-year history, vowing to annihilate Hamas.

Blinken will also try to help secure the release of prisoners in Hamas captivity, some thought to be Americans, and advance talks with Israelis and Egyptians on providing a safe passage for Gaza civilians out of the enclave before a possible Israeli ground invasion.

At least 25 Americans were killed in the Hamas raid, he said.

“You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself. But as long as America exists, you will never ever have to. We will always be there by your side,” the US secretary of state told Netanyahu.

He also offered an emotional, personal aside, recounting how his grandfather fled pogroms in Russia and his stepfather survived Nazi concentration camps.

After Israel, Blinken will head to Jordan to meet King Abdullah and Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas, before travelling on to meet leaders in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Qatar.

His trip also aims to send a “deterrence message” to Iran to not get involved in the conflict.

Blinken said Israel was obliged to defend itself in a way to ensure a cross-border raid can never happen again, and that he spoke with Netanyahu about how it will do so.

“We democracies distinguish ourselves from terrorists by striving for a different standard, even when it’s difficult,” he said. “That’s why it’s so important to take every possible precaution to avoid harming civilians.”

“As Israel’s defence needs evolve, Washington will work with Congress to ensure they are met,” the US diplomat said.

Israel has said there would be no humanitarian break to its siege of the Gaza Strip until all prisoners were freed.

A senior State Department official said Washington was working to advance talks on providing a safe passage to civilians, including around 500 to 600 Palestinian Americans resident in Gaza.

Containing the conflict is a top priority for Washington and Blinken has been speaking with regional allies, which speak to Iran and Iran-backed groups, to ask them to advise Tehran to “keep out”.

“We’re very intent on demonstrating … that we’re committed to keeping other parties out of this conflict,” the official said.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2023