(Shannon) The United States is encouraging its partners to use their influence on Hamas and its supporters in Iran after the Palestinian Islamist movement’s unprecedented attacks on Israel, a senior official said Thursday.
The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken is traveling to Israel to demonstrate Washington’s unwavering support for its ally.
A senior official traveling with Blinken assured that Washington had no problem with reported discussions Thursday between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi over the war between Israel and Hamas.
“Honestly, we call on all our partners to talk to Hamas, Hezbollah or Iran — any of that trio — with whom they have ties or relationships so that they can convince Hamas to stop its attacks, to release the hostages, so that Hezbollah and Iran do not get involved in this conflict,” said this source on condition of anonymity during a stop in Ireland.
During his lightning visit to the Jewish state, Antony Blinken will probably meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, before going to Jordan, a close ally of the United States which has signed a peace treaty with Israel.
The US secretary of state will visit other countries, another official confirmed without naming them.
Iran was one of the first countries to openly support the Hamas attack, which it called a “proud operation.”
Despite this displayed support, the Iranian authorities denied on Monday having played an active role in the Hamas offensive.
Washington, however, judged that there was “no doubt” about the fact that Hamas was “financed, equipped and armed” among others by Tehran, while considering that it was “too early” to say whether Iran was “directly involved”.
Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday that Israeli forces said killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians. In the Gaza Strip, at least 1,055 people, including many civilians, were killed in retaliatory Israeli air raids, according to local authorities.