Secretary of State Antony Blinken signaled Monday the United States would not call for a ceasefire in the Middle-East, opposing Democrat Senators demands Sunday.
“In all of these engagements we have made clear that we are prepared to lend our support and good offices to the parties should they seek a cease-fire,” Blinken said Monday, the AP reported.
“Any diplomatic initiative that advances that prospect is something that we’ll support,” he continued. “And we are again willing and ready to do that. But ultimately it is up to the parties to make clear that they want to pursue a cease-fire.”
Breitbart News’s Joel B. Pollak reported Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), who identifies as Jewish, “led 28 Senate Democrats on Sunday in calling for a ceasefire in the conflict between Palestinian Hamas terrorists and Israel, even though the Israeli military says that it needs more time to neutralize the threat posed by Hamas.”
The split between Democrat Senators and the White House comes after far-left House members have called on President Joe Biden to be more concerned about Israel’s counteroffensive.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) tweeted May 10 that Biden should be defending those who are launching rockets at Israel. “Israel attacks it during Ramadan. Where’s the outrage @POTUS?” she said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), tweeted a similar message on May 8. “We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem,” she wrote on Twitter. “Israeli forces are forcing families from their homes during Ramadan and inflicting violence. It is inhumane and the US must show leadership in safeguarding the human rights of Palestinians.”
Israeli airstrikes have killed nearly 200 Palestinians as of Monday, and Israel believes more than 130 militants are among the dead. Hamas has not acknowledged this, the BBC reported.
“We continue the operation in Gaza as much as needed to restore calm – it will take time,” he said.
