Blinken Meets Palestinian President, Warned Not To Send Aid To Gaza

Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday.

Due to the ongoing situation between Israel and Hamas, the pair in Amman, Jordan, to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas greets U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his ongoing diplomacy tour in the Middle East.

Abbas: “You could have a house here.”

Blinken: “I’m thinking about it.” pic.twitter.com/iMopu7bfuQ

— The Recount (@therecount) October 17, 2023

After the meeting, Bliken remained silent when asked by reporters if he was hopeful that aid would begin flowing in the near future.

Even though Joe Biden has backed Israel’s right to defend itself and to retaliate against Hamas terrorists, his administration has made a distinction between Hamas and the Palestinian people.

Since Israel began to attack Hamas targets in Gaza, Biden has been under pressure from members of his party to give aid to Palestine.

Biden’s push for aid to Palestine has been met with resistance at home from several Republican presidential candidates and politicians, including Senator Marsha Blackburn from Tennessee.

On Tuesday, Blackburn called for an immediate end to U.S. aid to Palestinians in Gaza, arguing the aid inevitably falls into the hands of Hamas.

Blackburn has a valid point because the terrorists are protected by the Palestine government and other Islamic countries like Iran.

She made the statement as Biden was preparing to visit Israel for the first time since the country was attacked by Hamas on October 7.

Stop appeasing terrorists. Freeze all money going towards terrorist organizations. Close the southern border.

Stand in solidarity with Israel. pic.twitter.com/T9qQpRAJFk

— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) October 17, 2023

Senator Todd Budd of North Carolina agreed with Blackburn and called on Biden to freeze any aid to Iran during the press conference.

Hamas terrorists would not have been able to execute such a heinous series of attacks without Iran's support.

Biden should permanently freeze the $6 billion ransom payment to the world's #1 state sponsor of terrorism.#StandWithIsrael pic.twitter.com/NOM3Duf7S7

— Senator Ted Budd (@SenTedBuddNC) October 17, 2023

Here’s what was reported by Fox News:

“The USA should not be placing conditions on our support for Israel because of demands from the ‘Squad.’ Humanitarian aid repeatedly ends up in the hands of Hamas terrorists who use it to build rockets & kill more Israelis. We should immediately halt U.S. aid for the Palestinians,” Blackburn said.

Biden’s administration has publicly offered its full support for Israel’s right to defend itself and retaliate against Hamas. Nevertheless, Biden has said it would be a “mistake” for Israel to occupy Gaza, and the U.S. has repeatedly stated that the conflict must minimize suffering in Gaza.

International aid for Gaza is currently blocked at the Egypt-Gaza border, with the Egyptian government keeping the Rafah connection closed. Egypt and other nearby Arab nations have repeatedly refused to accept any Gazan refugees.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military has warned Gaza residents to move south as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) prepare for a ground operation in the north. There were reports over the weekend of Hamas forces delaying or outright blocking residents from fleeing northern Gaza.

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With Iran’s Foreign Minister threatening Israel on Tuesday, it would be a bad idea for Biden to give them more money. But, he hasn’t shown himself to be the sharpest tool in the shed.