Blinken returns to Middle East for tough Gaza talks

The top American diplomat will visit Israel, the Palestinian Authority basein the West Bank and five Arab countries -- Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabiaand the United Arab Emirates, the State Department said.
Blinken will hold talks in Istanbul on Saturday with his Turkishcounterpart Hakan Fidan and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, one of the Muslimworld's harshest critics of US support for Israel in the war, reports BSS.
"We don't expect every conversation on this trip to be easy. There areobviously tough issues facing the region and difficult choices ahead," StateDepartment spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
"But the secretary believes it is the responsibility of the United Statesof America to lead diplomatic efforts to tackle those challenges head on," hesaid.
Blinken has used previous trips to try to stop the war spreading. But hereturns to a region that has seen attacks in or from Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen,Syria and Iran.
A strike inside Lebanon widely assumed to have been carried out by Israelkilled a top Hamas leader on Tuesday. Iran-backed Huthi rebels have been firingon ships in the Red Sea in avowed solidarity with Gaza.
Iran was in turn hit Wednesday by one of the deadliest attacks since its1979 Islamic revolution, with twin blasts killing at least 84 people gatheredto commemorate a slain Revolutionary Guards general.
Tehran initially blamed Israel and the United States, although the IslamicState group later claimed responsibility.
- Mounting toll -
President Joe Biden's administration has provided crucial support forIsrael since the October 7 attack, when Hamas fighters streamed across theborder and killed about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFPtally based on Israeli figures.
The United States has twice exercised its veto at the UN Security Councilagainst ceasefire calls, drawing outrage in the Arab world, and just days agoBlinken for the second time bypassed Congress to rush weapons to Israel.
But Biden has also voiced exasperation at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuas he pursues a relentless retaliatory offensive in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip,much of which has been reduced to rubble.
More than 22,600 people in Gaza have died, mostly civilians, according tothe Hamas-run health ministry. The vast majority of residents of theimpoverished and blockaded territory have been forced from their homes.
The Biden administration has taken credit for coaxing Israel on several aidissues, including allowing limited gas and commercial trucks to enter.
Another US concern has been calls by far-right members of Netanyahu'scabinet for Palestinians to be encouraged to leave the Gaza Strip.
Blinken is also likely to press Israel to stop blocking the transfer of taxrevenue to the Palestinian Authority, a longstanding arrangement that isopposed by Israel's far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich.
Washington sees a future in the Gaza Strip for the Palestinian Authority,whose ruling Fatah faction is a rival of Hamas. But Netanyahu has long soughtto weaken the semi-autonomous body and opposes the eventual creation of aPalestinian state.
- Turkey-Greece balance -
Blinken will pay a brief visit Saturday to Greece, which is jittery aboutan expected US sale of advanced F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, its historicadversary.
The Biden administration is expected to offer the jets once Turkey gives along-delayed approval to NATO membership for Sweden. The Scandinavian nationsought to enter the Western military alliance following Russia's invasion ofUkraine.
NATO requires unanimity and Erdogan had used his leverage to press forconcessions, including action by Sweden against Kurdish militants opposed toAnkara.
Turkey's parliament is moving ahead on ratification. Turkey last yearallowed the entry into NATO of Finland, which had launched a joint membershipbid with Sweden.