‘We’re contained in the 10-yard line’: Secretary of state on an Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has a giant job — with conflicts and pressure across the globe, he runs level on U.S. overseas coverage worldwide.

Central to that job, he says, is recognizing the humanity within the particular person throughout the desk, pal or foe.

“If we end or minimize the terrible dehumanization we see in so many places around the world, then … I know that the best of humanity is not only possible, it’s what will happen,” he stated on Friday.

In a wide-ranging dialog with All Issues Thought of host Mary Louise Kelly on the Aspen Safety Discussion board, Secretary Blinken weighed in on every thing from the prospect of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, to the struggle in Ukraine and what the U.S. is doing to convey house Individuals detained in Russia.

Watch the total dialog within the YouTube video under:

The next interview excerpt has been edited for size and readability.

Interview highlights

Mary Louise Kelly: Our ambassador on the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, stated this week, “negotiations on a ceasefire are trending in the right direction.” Is she proper? And on what’s that primarily based?

Antony Blinken: What Linda stated is correct. I imagine we’re contained in the 10-yard line and driving towards the purpose line in getting an settlement that may produce a ceasefire, get the hostages house, and put us on a greater observe to making an attempt to construct lasting peace and stability.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on July 17, 2024.

Mandel Ngan/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

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Mandel Ngan/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

Kelly: And once more, on what’s that primarily based, apart from hope?

Blinken: Hope is nice, nevertheless it’s inadequate. No, it is primarily based on actuality. And the fact is that this: A month in the past, President Biden put out an in depth proposal for attending to a ceasefire, the discharge of hostages, and the flexibility to maneuver ahead. And what occurred after that was fairly extraordinary. Your entire world got here collectively in help of that proposal, nation after nation standing up and endorsing it. The United Nations Safety Council, the place Linda did an incredible job, coming collectively — one thing we do not see that usually lately — [voting] 14 to nothing, with Russia abstaining, in help of that settlement. And the consequence was, after lots of pushing and diplomacy within the weeks after that, we’ve an settlement to the framework the president put out by each Israel and Hamas. The query now could be ending the negotiation of some important particulars. There stays some points that have to be resolved, that have to be negotiated. We’re within the midst of doing precisely that.

Kelly: Another on the Center East. Is the two-state resolution lifeless?

Blinken: Not solely is it not lifeless, it may well’t be.

Kelly: It’s very laborious to discover a path to optimism provided that Israelis are actually resisting it — authorities, peculiar individuals — Gaza is destroyed, settlers are taking extra land within the West Financial institution. The place does that go away room for hope?

Blinken: You already know, [late Senator] John McCain used to say that it is at all times darkest earlier than it goes utterly black. If you happen to preserve that in thoughts, it is not unhealthy steerage for the work that we’re all making an attempt to do. However look, there’s some elementary realities that we won’t escape. The basic realities are these: Between Gaza and the West Financial institution there are someplace over 5 million Palestinians, there are about 7 million Israeli Jews. Neither goes anyplace. Palestinians are usually not going anyplace. The Jews are usually not going anyplace.

There must be an lodging, however an lodging that does two issues: That brings lasting peace and lasting safety to Israelis who so desperately need it and wish it, and fulfills the suitable to self-determination of the Palestinians. Now, with any proper comes duty. Accountability to construct a state that may not be a risk to Israel. That will not be a Hamas-stan, that will not be like Lebanon, with Hezbollah truly dominating the nation. So there are vital issues that would wish to occur to ensure that a state to be realized. However I imagine strongly that, sure, that must be the long run.

And by the best way, the 2 strongest opponents of a two-state resolution, who’re they? Iran and Hamas. So, the strongest doable rebuke to each Iran and Hamas could be the conclusion of two states. At each step alongside the best way within the historical past of this, you return to the Oslo Accords, who tried to disrupt the Oslo Accords? Hamas. When the Arabs launched the Arab Peace Initiative, and had been shifting towards recognition of Israel, who sadly successfully disrupted that? Hamas, with probably the most horrific terrorist assaults earlier than October 7 that we have seen in Israel. So for those who take a look at the logic of this, it is compelling. And there is one thing else. There’s a completely different future. And we’ve seen its outlines — in virtually embryonic type, nevertheless it’s there — a unique future for Israel that realizes perhaps its primary goal because the founding of the state. And that’s its acceptance within the area, having regular relations with all of its neighbors. We see that by means of the work that we’re doing on normalization. We noticed that when Iran attacked Israel, and, for the primary time, a direct assault from Iran and Israel, the USA, however not simply the USA, European nations and nations within the area, got here to Israel’s protection. So, we are able to see a future the place Israel is built-in within the area, it is safer, the Palestinians notice their aspirations for a state and the enemies of that future — Iran and its numerous proxies — are remoted.

Rescuers clear the rubble of the destroyed Ohmatdyt Kids’s Hospital following a missile assault in Kyiv on July 8.

Roman Pilipey/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

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Roman Pilipey/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

Kelly: Thanks for making the case for hope. On Ukraine, I am going to begin with the trigger for hope: NATO has not too long ago expanded army help. A whole lot of the ammunition shortages have been addressed. Dozens of F-16 fighter jets are on their approach to Ukraine and are anticipated to be operational this summer time.

I wish to ask about what it could take for the U.S. to alter its coverage on how far Ukraine can shoot weapons into Russia. And I am drawing for that query, I reached out to colleagues in our Kyiv bureau, together with Ukrainian colleagues, I used to be curious what they’d wish to ask you. They wish to know, does Washington need Ukraine to win or not?

Blinken: I feel for those who take a look at the final two-and-a-half years, it is laborious to conclude that anybody has performed extra for Ukraine to guarantee its success than the USA of America. And that can proceed for so long as we’ve something to say about it.

Kelly: That’s true. However they’d level out, they’re being requested to battle with one hand tied behind their again.

Blinken: Each step alongside the best way, we have tried to be sure that we’re adapting and adjusting to the realities on the bottom, to what’s truly taking place, to be sure that Ukrainians have what they want after they want it. However usually, it is not so simple as it appears. Let me offer you an instance. At numerous factors throughout these final two-and-a-half years, one weapon system or one other has made its approach into the headlines. Perhaps it is F-16s, which as you famous are within the technique of being delivered, perhaps it is an Abrams tank, or another system. And there appears to be this binary query: “Oh, we give it to them or we don’t.” However it’s not so simple as that. It is not sufficient to present them a weapon system. They’ve to have the ability to use it. They’ve to have the ability to preserve it. It must be a part of a cohesive technique. And so, as we have performed this stuff, and [U.S. Secretary of Defense] Lloyd Austin has performed a unprecedented job bringing collectively greater than 50 nations in help of Ukraine’s protection, but additionally working by means of every of those selections.

Kelly: I wish to ask about Individuals detained in Russia, together with Evan Gershkovich of The Wall Road Journal, who was sentenced this morning to 16 years in jail, and in addition Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize this yr for his columns for The Washington Submit. How can we convey them house?

Blinken: I feel you had [U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs] Roger Carstens right here a few days in the past. Roger, his workforce, each single day, are working to convey unjustly detained Individuals house, wherever they’re held. And naturally, relating to Evan, relating to Paul Whelan, in Russia, different Individuals, we’re working fairly actually day-after-day, seeking to see what we are able to do to get them house. We have had a fairly extraordinary observe report during the last three-and-a-half years of doing simply, that bringing some 30 Individuals house from completely different locations world wide the place they had been being unjustly detained. All I can inform you is that this: we’re working it. We’re working it as we communicate, and we’re not going to cease till we get Evan house. We get Paul Whelan house. Till we get others house.