Joining the call was Acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Yael Lempert, who previewed the Secretary’s travel to Israel, the West Bank, Morocco, and Algeria.
Speaking on record, Lempert confirmed that Blinken will travel to to Israel Morocco, and Algeria, from March 26-30.
"While there, he’s going to engage with our partners on a range of regional and global priorities, including Ukraine, Iran, the Abraham Accords and normalization agreements with Israel, preserving the prospects for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and building support for the UN’s engagement on Western Sahara, among other topics," she said. "Of course, this will be Secretary Blinken’s second visit to Israel and the West Bank as Secretary, but this will be his first visit to Morocco and Algeria since he became Secretary."
During his visit to Israel, Blinken will "underscore the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israeli security, coordination on Ukraine and Iran, and work to build upon the gains from the Abraham Accords," she added.
"While there, he will meet with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid), Defense Minister Benny Gantz (Blue and White), and also with Israeli President Isaac Herzog." He will also meet with Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, as well as with representatives of PA civil society.
"During the visit, Secretary Blinken will affirm the commitment of the United States to a two-state solution, and to greater freedom, security, and prosperity for Palestinians and Israelis alike. He will also underscore the importance of the upcoming month when major religious holidays across faiths will be celebrated, and reiterate the importance of actions to build trust, and enhance stability and security, and the need to avoid steps that can inflame tensions on the ground."
