UAE foreign minister discusses Palestine, Israel with US Secretary of State Blinken

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken held talks with his counterparts from the UAE, Jordan and Israel on the situation in Palestine. (AFP)
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Updated 18 May 2021
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UAE foreign minister discusses Palestine, Israel with US Secretary of State Blinken

  • Blinken highlighted the importance of the UAE’s contributions toward promoting a more peaceful Middle East
  • Safadi stressed the need for Israel to respect the rights of people living in the Sheikh Jarrah

LONDON: The UAE foreign minister and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday discussed global efforts to stop the violence in Palestine and Israel.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and Blinken spoke about ways to reduce tensions as Israeli continued a bombing campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 200 Palestinians. Rockets fired by the enclave’s rulers Hamas have killed 10 people in Israel.
The UAE’s state news agency WAM reported that Binken And Sheikh Abdullah also discussed comprehensive and sustainable solutions to the conflict.
The Emirati minister said his country supports US efforts led by Washington’s Middle East envoy Hadi Amr “to calm the situation, reduce tensions and stop violence in Israel and Palestine.”
“The people of the region aspire to a future full of hope, stability, development and prosperity,” he said.
He added that the Abraham Accords carry hope for the region to live in peace and stability.
The UAE, along with Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, signed the US-brokered accords with Israel last year, establishing diplomatic relations with Israel.
Blinken highlighted the importance of the UAE’s contributions toward promoting a more peaceful Middle East, the State Department said.
Blinken also spoke with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi to follow up on recently-held talks in Washington over the dangerous conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“Safadi and Blinken reviewed the targeted moves and efforts to stop the escalation,” Petra news agency reported, adding that Safadi stressed the need to stop the aggression on Gaza and all illegal and provocative Israeli practices in the West Bank and in the Al-Aqsa mosque. 
Safadi also praised the importance of the US role and the positions expressed by the Biden administration regarding the need to respect the historical situation in Jerusalem and its sanctities, to stop settlement and deportation, adhering to the two-state solution, and affirming the Palestinians’ right to live with the same degree of security and safety as the Israelis. 
The two ministers agreed on the need to halt the escalation and achieve sustainable calm and find a real political solution to the conflict in accordance with international law.
Safadi also spoke with UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab and both agreed on the importance of intensifying efforts to stop the escalation and create a real political horizon to achieve a comprehensive and just peace.
Safadi stressed the need for Israel to respect the rights of people living in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, adding that it does not have the right to deport them under international law.
Safadi warned of the danger of Israel continuing its illegal practices and the absence of political prospects and their implications for security and stability in the region as a whole. The two ministers confirmed the continuation of coordination and consultations on the efforts aimed at ending the escalation.
In a call with his Israeli counterpart, Blinken discussed US efforts to bring an end to the violence, which has claimed the lives of Israeli and Palestinian civilians, including children. 
He also expressed deep concern at the inter-communal violence, the State Department said.
“The two discussed the path forward, and the secretary noted that the US would remain engaged with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and other regional stakeholders as part of our diplomacy to ease tensions and put an end to the hostilities,” said spokesman Ned Price.


Spain highlights importance of Gaza reconstruction

Palestinian prime minister, Mohammed Mustafa, and the Spanish foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares. (AP)
Updated 02 January 2026
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Spain highlights importance of Gaza reconstruction

  • Spain officially recognized Palestine as a state in May 2024, in a coordinated move alongside Ireland and Norway

RAMALLAH: The Palestinian prime minister, Mohammed Mustafa, and the Spanish foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, on Friday discussed the latest developments in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
During their telephone conversation they emphasized the need to intensify international efforts to end the Israeli occupation and halt attacks and settler violence, and to secure the release of Palestinian funds held by Israeli authorities.
They affirmed the importance of ongoing efforts relating to plans for the reconstruction of Gaza, and Europe’s significant role in this process. Mustafa and Albares highlighted the need to unify Palestinian institutions in Gaza with those in the West Bank, with the aim of establishing a Palestinian state in line with international resolutions, including last year’s New York Declaration.
They also discussed coordination between their countries, and the strengthening of Spain’s political, diplomatic and financial support for Palestine, and Mustafa thanked Spain for its ongoing support.
Spain officially recognized Palestine as a state in May 2024, in a coordinated move alongside Ireland and Norway. Estephan Salameh, the Palestinian finance and planning minister, is set to visit Spain this month to discuss enhanced cooperation, particularly in the areas of development and reconstruction. Meanwhile, Israel continues operating in the occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian Prisoners media office said on Friday that Israel carried out numerous raids across the territory, including the major cities of Ramallah and Hebron, according to The Associated Press.
Nearly 50 people were detained, following the arrest of at least 50 other Palestinians on Thursday, most of those in the Ramallah area.
As 2026 begins, the shaky 12-week-old ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has largely ended large-scale Israeli bombardment of Gaza. 
But Palestinians are still being killed by Israeli fire, especially along the so-called Yellow Line that delineates areas under Israeli control, and the humanitarian crisis is compounded by frequent winter rains and colder temperatures.
On Friday, American actor and film producer Angelina Jolie visited the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. 
The only crossing between the territory and a country other than Israel, it remains closed despite Palestinian requests to reopen it to people and aid.
Jolie met with members of the Red Crescent on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing and then visited a hospital in the nearby city of Arish to speak with Palestinian patients on Friday, according to Egyptian officials.
Aid groups say not enough shelter materials are getting into Gaza during the truce.