Oct. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that Israel had taken action on implementing a set of U.S. demands on enabling more humanitarian assistance to reach people who need it in Gaza -- but stressed much more needed to be done.
Speaking at a news briefing at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport at the end of a 24-hour stop in Israel as he departed for Saudi Arabia, Blinken said he had gone over the issue with Israeli leaders "in some detail" and he was satisfied there had been movement in the right direction.
"I can report that there's progress made, which is good, but more progress needs to be made. And most critically, it needs to be sustained. We've had periods before where the Israelis have increased what they're doing only to see it fall back," Blinken said.
"So we're tracking this very, very, very carefully, and we went over it in some detail."
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Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote the Israeli defense and strategic affairs ministers on Oct. 13 giving them 30 days to take "concrete steps" to improve the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and warning Israel risked losing U.S. military assistance as U.S. law requires recipient states engaged in a military conflict allow U.S.-supported humanitarian aid to freely flow without interruption.
Questioned as to the progress being made given reports food was still not reaching people in desperate need due to Israel blocking aid with unreasonable searches at the border and other obstacles, Blinken insisted trucks were getting to Gaza but they faced huge logistical and security difficulties.
"We've seen progress in the opening of the Erez crossing. We've seen progress in the reanimation of the Jordanian corridor. We've seen progress in the opening of a fifth crossing point and other steps that have been taken.
"We have a list of things that we're going through one by one, systematically, with our Israeli counterparts to make sure that they follow through on.
"They have started, and we're tracking this, as I say, every single day. We have senior officials from the department whose job is to focus on that every day. That's exactly what they're doing," Blinken said while acknowledging the progress was insufficient.
He also strongly denied the potential of suspending military assistance to Israel was an empty threat after suggesting similar sanctions in April that stayed within diplomatic channels and did not become public.
"I am determined to follow the law. I will follow the law," Blinken insisted stressing that the reason no further action was taken back then was the United States saw that the Israelis were taking action, "concrete improvements."
Blinken, in the midst of a whistle-stop tour of Middle East capitals to try to resurrect moribund negotiations for an Israel-Hamas cease-fire in Gaza with the opportunity presented by the Oct. 17 killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, restated the United States' outright opposition to Israel reoccupying Gaza.
"It's been U.S. policy; it will remain U.S. policy. And it's also, to the best of my understanding, the policy of the Israeli Government. That's what I heard from the prime minister [Benjamin Netanyahu], who is the authoritative word on this," Blinken said, referring to right-wing elements in Netanyahu's government and the military advocating forcing Palestinians out of northern Gaza and moving in Jewish settlers.
"So whatever they say, whether it's retired generals or some members of the government, that is not the policy of the government, and it is certainly not the policy of the United States. We reject it.
"All I can tell you is that is the stated policy of the Government of Israel, and it is definitely the stated policy of the Government of the United States and one we will insist on."
