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US Secretary of State Blinken talks with Israeli counterpart in one of first diplomatic calls

The two were said to have discussed “regional strategic matters, the Iranian threat and other topics.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is sworn in as the 71st U.S. Secretary of State by Acting Under Secretary of State for Management Carol Z. Perez at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 26, 2021. Credit: U.S. Department of State via Wikimedia Commons.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is sworn in as the 71st U.S. Secretary of State by Acting Under Secretary of State for Management Carol Z. Perez at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 26, 2021. Credit: U.S. Department of State via Wikimedia Commons.

In one of his first calls as U.S. secretary of state, Antony Blinken spoke with his counterpart in Israel, Gabi Ashkenazi, on Wednesday.

The two discussed “regional strategic matters, continued to widen the circle of peace, the Iranian threat and other topics,” according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry.

Ashkenazi congratulated Blinken on his confirmation, which took place on Tuesday.

The diplomats agreed to communicate frequently and meet in person when the situation permits given the global coronavirus pandemic.

The president did not say where the negotiations would take place.
“I see a lot of positive elements in the efforts of the Board of Peace,” said the Israeli president.
“The country of Israel joins me in this commitment,” the U.S. president said of the negotiations.
The Israeli military also killed a Hamas deputy cell commander who doubled as a physician in Shifa Hospital.