The outgoing Biden administration pressed ahead on Friday with diplomacy aimed at reaching deals to end Israel's conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaking to counterparts in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken works in an office aboard an aircraft carrying him to London, Britain from Doha, Qatar, October 24, 2024. Reuters/Nathan Howard
The outgoing Biden administration pressed ahead on Friday with diplomacy aimed at reaching deals to end Israel's conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaking to counterparts in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
U.S. officials have said they will make a final push to reach deals on the conflicts, although it is unclear how much leverage they have over Israel and other actors in the region now focused on the incoming administration of former President Donald Trump.
Blinken in his calls on Friday affirmed the administration's continued desire to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible and a diplomatic resolution to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon, as well as discussing the conflict in Sudan, spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
In his call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Blinken discussed "efforts to secure the release of hostages and establish a path forward that allows Palestinians in Gaza to rebuild their lives and advance governance, security and reconstruction," Miller said.
With the UAE's Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Blinken "discussed efforts to achieve a diplomatic resolution in Lebanon that allows civilians on both sides of the Blue Line to return to their homes," Miller said.
On Thursday Blinken also spoke to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot about both efforts.
Reporting by Simon Lewis
Iranian aerial attacks since Wednesday have caused extensive damage to the world's largest gas plant in Qatar, targeted a refinery in Saudi Arabia, forced the UAE to shut gas facilities and set off fires at two Kuwaiti refineries.
Saudi Arabia will host a consultative meeting of foreign ministers from a number of Arab and Islamic countries in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss ways to support regional security and stability given the Iran war, the kingdom's foreign ministry said.
Iran's huge Pars gas field was hit on Wednesday in a major escalation in the U.S.-Israeli war that sent oil prices shooting higher, and Tehran struck Qatar and fired missiles at Saudi Arabia after vowing attacks on oil and gas targets throughout the Gulf.
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