This article discusses the shuttle diplomacy of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken since October 7th, and the impact of these trips on the Middle East, their implications for the ongoing war, as well as the official American discourse and stance on the conflict. We will examine the nine visits Blinken made to the region.
First Trip: October 12, 2023
Blinken traveled to Israel and the Middle East to show solidarity with Israel, strengthen military support, and work with America’s regional allies to secure the release of hostages. President Joe Biden stated that Blinken’s top priority was to deliver a deterrence message largely aimed at Iran and Hezbollah to prevent a wider war. Blinken communicated this to Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE. President Biden described Hamas’s attack as absolute evil and reaffirmed America’s support for Israel. He issued what appeared to be a warning to Iran and its allied groups, saying, “I have one word: don’t.” Biden emphasized that as long as America exists, Israel will never stand alone. Blinken, at the start of his trip, stated that he was visiting Israel not just as Secretary of State but as a Jew whose grandfather fled from persecution. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen remarked, “Israel will never forget American support during these difficult times.”
Second Trip: October 15, 2023
Blinken held an eight-hour meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government at the start of a regional tour that included stops in five countries to build a coalition against Hamas and coordinate with allies to secure Israel’s borders and release hostages. It seems that during this trip, a plan was formulated to ensure that regional countries would not act against Israel, which indeed happened, as even after the tenth month, Arab countries remained inactive and only watched. Their silent and weak stance, one could argue, has served Israel’s interests up until today.
Third Trip: November 3, 2023
Blinken summarized his country’s position on the war by saying, “We stand behind Israel’s right, indeed its duty, to defend itself and do everything possible to ensure that October 7th never happens again. We will continue to stand with Israel to achieve that, and as I’ve said repeatedly, how Israel does that matters.” It is believed that what he means by “how Israel does that” is by eradicating the Palestinian people through massacres.
Fourth Trip: January 9, 2024
Blinken reiterated his support for Israel’s right to self-defense during this visit by providing additional aid necessary for Israel’s defense. This visit was part of Blinken’s regional tour, which included Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. Blinken stated that the Palestinian Authority also has a responsibility to reform its structure and improve its governance.
Fifth Trip: February 5, 2024
This trip aimed to reach an agreement ensuring the release of all remaining hostages and included a humanitarian truce that would allow for the sustained and increased delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza. Blinken’s visit came days after the U.S. carried out retaliatory strikes against the Axis of Resistance in Iraq and Syria, along with other U.S. and British strikes in Yemen.
Sixth Trip: March 22, 2024
This visit aimed to extricate Israel from its internal and external crisis, with Blinken asserting that “no president has done more to protect Israel than President Biden, who is the first American president to come to Israel in the midst of war.” When Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, firing 300 missiles, including ballistic missiles, the United States participated in an effective defense of Israel for the first time. During this visit, Blinken worked on encouraging Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel.
Seventh Trip: April 30, 2024
This visit was intended to protect Israel from Israeli leaders who had become incapable of militarily dealing with Hamas. Blinken warned them of the dangers of a broad ground invasion of Rafah Province.
Eighth Trip: June 10, 2024
The purpose of this visit was to unify Israeli ranks after escalating disputes with Minister Benny Gantz following his resignation from Netanyahu’s emergency government. Blinken also attempted to pass a ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hamas, announced by President Biden.
Ninth Trip: Scheduled for August 15, 2024
This trip was initially scheduled for August 15, 2024, the day set for meetings with mediators to reach an agreement. The U.S. administration assumed that the Iranian response to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau, in Tehran on July 31, 2024, would come before the meeting, so they could claim the agreement was almost finalized and that the Iranian response or Hezbollah’s retaliation for the assassination of Fouad Shaker on July 30, 2024, had disrupted the agreement. When no response occurred, the visit was postponed for the same purpose, and the trip took place on August 18, 2024. Blinken announced that Israel had agreed to the agreement, placing the onus on Hamas to agree. Even though Netanyahu did not approve of President Biden’s proposal, which was endorsed by the United Nations and Hamas on July 2, 2024, the U.S. aimed to blame Hamas for not signing the agreement. This narrative was intended to place responsibility on Hamas and the Axis of Resistance if they retaliated, portraying them as the ones who disrupted the agreement. The U.S. sought to convince the American and global public that it was doing everything possible to stop the war, but Blinken did not mention the six massacres Israel committed in Gaza, which killed hundreds of children and elderly people, in addition to the hundreds of massacres and genocidal acts during the previous trips. All these trips were characterized by deception, lies, selling illusions, and buying time for Israel while exerting maximum pressure on the resistance through bloodshed to reach a flimsy agreement that would meet Netanyahu’s conditions for the resistance’s surrender without portraying Israel as defeated.
Blinken declared, “Netanyahu has agreed to the proposal and urges Hamas to agree quickly, as it is the best way to end Palestinian suffering.” This statement aimed to blame Hamas for the failure of the flawed agreement. Every word spoken by Blinken, who is Jewish, is intended to support and protect Israel, and this statement fits into the pro-Zionist narrative.
President Biden and his administration, with Blinken as the architect of deceit, always attempt to beautify Israel’s ugly image, supported by all global media agencies and, unfortunately, some Arab satellite channels by spreading the notion that the agreement is within reach and achievable. This creates the illusion that they are working to stop the war and to blame Hamas for obstructing what Netanyahu has already derailed. Perhaps Biden’s proposal, presented on July 2, 2024, which Hamas agreed to but Netanyahu did not adhere to, shows that Biden and Blinken did not hold Netanyahu accountable for obstructing the agreement. They allowed him to introduce over six new issues that hindered the achievement of any future agreement.
In conclusion, the common thread between Blinken’s nine trips is that Israel committed massacres in Gaza during and after each visit. Each trip was followed by an increase in the intensity of massacres and the military, financial, and political support lines to Israel. Palestinians, especially those in Gaza, view Blinken’s visits as harbingers of bad luck.
After Blinken’s nine trips and continuous contacts by President Biden with Arab mediators to pressure Hamas, the assassination of the children, grandchildren, and relatives of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau, and after Haniyeh famously said, “The blood of our children is not more precious than the blood of our people,” America and Israel realized that their pressures had failed and that Hamas was ready to leave Qatar. Everyone was surprised by this stance from Hamas. Israel was given the green light to assassinate Sheikh Haniyeh on July 31, 2024. Biden continues to pressure the mediators to press Hamas, but Hamas, by choosing Yahya Sinwar as its leader, has cut off the path of pressure on the political leadership abroad, leaving all decisions in the hands of leaders on the battlefield. Therefore, America sought to provide cover for the massacres Israel is committing to pressure the resistance leadership.
The only consistent thing in U.S. policy and the shuttle visits made by members of the American leadership to the Middle East is that they operate on two tracks. The first is the theoretical track based on “lies and deception” to make the world believe that America wants to stop the war, seeks to sign an agreement, and pressures Israel. This track is aimed at opposition in America, the world, and international bodies that want to act. This policy slows down international action, stemming from a principle of selling false hope.
The second, practical track, which is the only one implemented, involves absolute support for Israel. This is the only active policy in America’s stance: protecting Israel, fighting alongside it, and obstructing any international project or resolution that condemns Israel. Moreover, the U.S. moves its warships, aircraft carriers, and fleets toward the Middle East, forming alliances against the Axis of Resistance.
The nine trips Blinken made to the region during the ten months of war on Gaza—almost one visit per month—along with the numerous visits by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, all followed the same policy and objective: protecting Israel and coordinating continuous military and security support to ensure its safety.
It is worth noting that the majority of writers, academics, military and security leaders, former prime ministers, and even many ministers, most cabinet ministers, opposition leaders, the defense minister, and others, including the Israeli media, are united in the belief that Netanyahu is the one obstructing an agreement. Yet, the American administration, led by Blinken, who has set a record for deceit, lies, and deception, places the blame on Hamas for obstructing the agreement!!
