Blinken said he expected the agreement, announced yesterday by President Joe Biden and Qatar, to be implemented over the weekend. He called the moment “a historic opportunity for the region and beyond” even as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the latest dispute with Hamas was delaying Israel’s approval of the deal.
“Achieving this opportunity will require enormous effort, political courage and willingness to compromise. It is important to ensure that the achievements of the past 15 months, which have been achieved with huge and painful sacrifices, are permanently maintained,” said Blinken.
As he praised the deal, two journalists in the room accused him of complicity in Israeli violence against Palestinian civilians. They are Grayzone News reporter Max Blumenthal and freelance journalist Sam Husseini.
Husseini shouted to Blinken:
“Criminal! You should be in The Hague. Why aren’t you in The Hague?” referring to the International Criminal Court. Blinken asked them to “respect the process.”
Sam Husseini forcibly removed from the briefing room after interrupting Blinken’s final press conference. @TheNationalNews pic.twitter.com/xw5ulrYhPA
— Willy Lowry (@willy_lowry) January 16, 2025
State Department associates threw Blumenthal out of the hall, while Husseini had to be carried out by security guards.
(Vijesti.ba)
