US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to visit Israel today. According to Benita Heiskanen, a professor at the University of Turku, the United States is trying to prevent the situation from escalating with its visit.
According to the expert, the risk of escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hamas is currently huge.
Doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki Bruno Jäntti reminded in the morning on Thursday that Israel is currently bombing Gaza very intensively and a ground attack is also possible.
– Many suspect that in the coming days or weeks we may see an unprecedented escalation, Jäntti said.
The escalation of the situation and the joining of neighboring areas to the conflict would be the fault of the professor at the University of Turku Benita Heiskanen according to the horror scenario. It is not just a conflict between two parties, but the discussion also involves the role of Iran and Lebanon, among others.
– Here are echoes of the beginning of the war against terrorism, Heiskanen said.
United States Secretary of State by Antony Blinken is expected to visit Israel today. According to Heiskanen, the main goal of the visit is to prevent the situation from escalating.
The success of the Biden administration on trial
The involvement of the United States in resolving the conflict also involves the president Joe Biden about the success of the administration, says Heiskanen. He reminds that the goal of the United States has been to leave the Middle East, but leaving Afghanistan, for example, has been seen as a failure of the Biden administration.
The extremist organization Hamas has taken hostages, including Americans, and Americans have also died in the conflict. According to Heiskanen, Americans’ Deaths and Hostages raises the stakes in how the situation is approached.
The United States now has to balance with how to take a stand on the situation without it exploding.
– This shows the ability of the Biden administration to control this situation, Heiskanen estimates.
US support for Israel has been great
According to Bruno Jänt, the United States is a very important background influencer in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The United States has supported Israel both economically and militarily over the decades.
– Israel has received more military aid from the United States than any other country from any other country in the entire history of our humanity, Jäntti said.
According to Jänt, for example, in the memorandum of understanding between Israel and the United States in 2016, the United States basically committed to direct 38 billion dollars in military aid to Israel.
Jäntti says that in addition to military support, the United States has also supported Israel politically at the UN.
– This has made it possible for the military occupation of the Palestinian territories to continue and for Israel to be able to expand settlements in the Palestinian territories, which in turn prevents the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, Jäntti stated.
Watch aam’s discussion in full: