Secretary of State Antony Blinken has asked the State Department to review policy options regarding the creation of an independent Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip once Israel concludes its war with Hamas. According to department sources, these options will include the US backing “Palestine” as a full member of the United Nations and encouraging international recognition in exchange for security guarantees for Israel—a notable reversal of the American government’s previous rejection of a two-state solution.
First reported by Axios on Wednesday, State Department officials are preparing to brief the Biden administration on the options for American involvement in Palestinian statehood, which include:
- Bilaterally recognizing the state of Palestine,
- Not using its veto to block the UN Security Council from admitting Palestine as a full UN member state, and
- Encouraging other countries to recognize Palestine.
Separately, Sec. Blinken has reportedly asked for reviews of models for demilitarized states like Grenada after the US invasion in 1983.
Learn the benefits of becoming a Valuetainment Member and subscribe today!
As the outlet notes, this marks a signal change within the US government on the internationally sensitive subject of Palestinian sovereignty.
However, as State Department representatives later clarified, this does not reflect a policy change for the administration.
“There has been no policy shift in the administration,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Wednesday in response to the Axios report. “We have made quite clear publicly that we support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. That has been the policy of the United States for some time. It has been the policy of this administration.”
The US has previously opposed efforts to recognize Palestine both bilaterally and within the United Nations, insisting that the issue should only be negotiated by Israel and the Palestinian authority directly. However, in the wake of the October 7 attacks by Hamas, efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and find a way to end the war have reportedly opened the door to new suggestions.
Miller declined to comment on the department’s internal work on the issue but confirmed that Palestinian statehood is an option on the table.
“We are actively pursuing the establishment as an independent Palestinian state, with real security guarantees for Israel, because we do believe that is the best way to bring about lasting peace and security for Israel, for Palestinians and for the region,” he continued. “There are any number of ways that you could go about accomplishing that…and we look at a wide range of options and we discuss those with partners in the region as well as other partners inside the United States government.”
Related: Netanyahu Says Israel Must Have Control “From the River to the Sea”
The Biden administration—as well as the Trump administration before it—has made considerable efforts to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which would result in a historic peace deal to stabilize the entire region. But since Israel’s retaliatory campaign against Hamas in Gaza began, the Saudis have rejected any peace agreements that do not include “an irrevocable pathway” towards a Palestinian state.
At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected any attempt at a two-state solution, refusing to compromise “full Israeli security control of all territory west of the Jordan River.”
Secretary Blinken was scheduled to meet with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer on Wednesday to further discuss relations with Saudi Arabia and possible solutions for the situation in Gaza.
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
Add comment