US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke at the United Nations (UN) Security Council, which convened in New York with the Israel-Palestine agenda.
Stating that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people, therefore Palestinian civilians are not responsible for its attacks, Blinken said, “This means that Israel must take every possible precaution to avoid harming civilians.” said.
Blinken emphasized the importance of protecting Palestinian civilians, saying, “This also means ensuring that food, water, medicine and other basic humanitarian aid can be delivered to Gaza and the people who need them. “This means civilians should not be harmed.” he said.
Noting that they have fundamental beliefs that every civilian life is equally valuable in conflicts, Blinken said, “There is no hierarchy when it comes to protecting civilian lives. “Civilians are civilians, regardless of their nation, ethnic identity, gender or belief.” made his assessment.
“DO NOT POUR GASOLINE ON THE FIRE”
Blinken also stated that they are determined to prevent the spread of conflict in the region and said, “A wider-scale conflict will be devastating not only for Palestinians and Israelis, but also for people in the region and even around the world. “Don’t pour gasoline on the fire.” he said.
Emphasizing that the UN Security Council has a responsibility in this regard, Blinken called for a common message to be sent to state or non-state actors who are considering opening a new front in this conflict against Israel.
“IF IRAN OR ITS PROXY ATTACKS, WE WILL DEFEND OURSELVES”
Blinken said that it is no longer a secret that Iran has been supporting Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis for years, and brought up that Iran’s proxies have attacked US personnel in Iraq and Syria in recent weeks.
Saying that the USA is not pursuing a conflict with Iran, Blinken said, “We do not want this war to escalate, but if Iran or its proxies attack our personnel anywhere, we will defend our people and security quickly and decisively.” said.
Blinken also reiterated that they believe that the only way for lasting peace and security between Israelis and Palestinians is through a “two states for two peoples” solution. (AA)
