Secretary of State Antony Blinken is calling for a united and Palestinian-led government for Gaza and the West Bank after the war ends, as a step toward Palestinian statehood. That vision sharpens U.S. differences with Israel on what the future should look like for the Palestinian territories once Israel’s military campaign against Hamas winds down. Blinken's outline of what Americans think should come next for Gaza also serves as a check on more authoritarian postwar scenarios floated by officials of Israel’s hard-right government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement Monday that Israel’s military would likely maintain security control for an “indefinite period” appears to have heightened U.S. concerns. Blinken spoke to reporters on Wednesday.
