Blinken handed over parts of his foreign policy legacy in a speech at the influential think tank Atlantic Council in Washington DC.
Several of the main issues, conflicts, and disputes in the Middle East that have come to characterize his time are still in crisis mode when power is handed over to the likely successor Marco Rubio during Donald Trump's presidency.
Future for Gaza
The war in the Middle East also became the main topic in Blinken's speech, where he emphasized that Gaza in the future must be led by the Palestinian Authority (PA).
We believe that the PA should invite international partners to create and govern an interim administration responsible for civil society in Gaza, said Blinken.
He stressed that the UN should have a significant role in a future Palestine.
Blinken also noted that the US has brought forward sharp criticism of the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
We have long pointed out to the Israeli government that Hamas cannot be defeated solely through military means.
Normalization necessary
Thus, Blinken and the current US government did not deviate from the stance that Israel must accept a "time-bound and conditional" path to an independent Palestinian state in a two-state solution.
In the shadow of a possible ceasefire in Gaza, where the US is one of the mediators, he chose to mark necessary changes in the region:
The possibility of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia represents the best opportunity for Israel's integration into the region, said Blinken, linking it to the question of creating a peaceful and improved future for the Palestinians.
He also commented on the ongoing talks about a ceasefire in Gaza in the war between Israel and the terrorist-stamped Hamas. According to Blinken, "the ball is in Hamas' court", and an agreement can be implemented immediately if the movement accepts the proposal.
