US' top diplomat Blinken meets Palestinian president in Ramallah

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed on Thursday efforts to expedite the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

“Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah,” according to US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

“Secretary Blinken discussed ongoing efforts to accelerate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, including through maximizing humanitarian pauses,” Miller said.

The top US diplomat “condemned extremist violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and said he would continue to insist on full accountability for those responsible,” the spokesperson pointed out.

Blinken and Abbas also spoke about “the urgent need for measures to improve security and freedom for Palestinians in the West Bank,” he said, adding that Blinken “reiterated that the United States remains committed to advancing tangible steps for a Palestinian state.”​​​​​​​