‘Monday’s meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and visiting Secretary of State Antony Blinken was held in a “positive and good atmosphere,” Jerusalem said in a statement.
“The meeting lasted approximately three hours. The prime minister reiterated Israel’s commitment to the current American proposal on the release of our hostages, which takes into account Israel’s security needs, which he strongly insists on,” according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a private meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.https://t.co/SIIMPvHBY1 pic.twitter.com/NGUqU4QTod
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 19, 2024
Blinken touched down in Israel on Sunday night, amid another push to secure a ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Jerusalem and Hamas.
The visit—Blinken’s ninth trip to Israel since Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre of some 1,200 people—comes amid ongoing talks in Doha to secure the release of 115 captives still held in Gaza after more than 300 days.
The American diplomat also met with President Isaac Herzog and was set to hold discussions with other Israeli senior officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Foreign Minister Israel Katz.
