Blinken, Cohen discuss Iran, as well as violence in Judea and Samaria

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen spoke by phone on June 27.

The two addressed “issues of mutual interest, including efforts to advance Israel’s integration into the region and countering Iran’s destabilizing behavior,” Matthew Miller, a U.S. State Department spokesman, stated in a readout.

Blinken shared “concern over the recent escalation of violence, which has directly affected U.S. citizens in the West Bank, and underscored the need for all parties to work to further de-escalate the situation,” per the readout.

He also offered condolences “for the recent terrorist attack against Israeli citizens in the West Bank.”

Earlier in the day, Cohen tweeted that he and Blinken “discussed the expansion of the Abraham Accords and setting a date for the Negev Forum, with the participation of more countries that will join the circle of peace.”

“I told him that we condemn events in which citizens take the law into their own hands, but we will fervently fight against Palestinian terrorism and will do everything necessary to protect our citizens,” Cohen added. “In addition, we talked about advancing the fight against a nuclear Iran, as well as the progress of the visa waiver process for Israeli citizens.”