Blinken welcomes Mohammed VI's efforts to restore peace in the Middle East

King Mohammed VI has consistently advocated avoiding the logic of conflict in favour of peace, cooperation and the creation of a prosperous Middle East. The United States, through Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Thursday praised Moroccan King Mohammed VI's dedication to stability and peace in the Middle East.

According to MoroccoWorldNews, the head of US diplomacy also highlighted the current "close" cooperation between Morocco and the United States during a telephone conversation with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. The US State Department said in a statement that the two also discussed ways to avoid escalation in the Middle East. 

Bourita stressed that King Mohammed VI has always advocated avoiding the logic of conflict and violence in favour of peace, cooperation and the creation of a prosperous space for all peoples in the region, during an extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the League of Arab States on the situation in Palestine in Cairo on Wednesday. 

He also affirmed that the Alawi nation is ready to participate in any Arab or international effort aimed at fulfilling the Palestinian people's desire for an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the borders of June 4, 1967, and in accordance with the universally accepted two-state solution. 

Israel is a close ally of the United States and receives billions of dollars in military aid every year. Since World War II, the United States has provided Israel with the largest amount of foreign aid. The ongoing escalation between Hamas fighters and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), according to its detractors, is the result of years of Israeli occupation and violence in the Palestinian territories. 

According to If Not Now, a US-Jewish peace organisation, the Israeli occupation is to blame for the ongoing conflict and the US should stop supporting Israel. The anti-Zionist organisation said in a statement that the blood of all those killed since Saturday "is on the hands of the Israeli government, the US government that funds and excuses its recklessness, and all international leaders who continue to turn a blind eye to the decades of repression of the Palestinian people". 

Many Americans lost their lives as a result of the Hamas attack, which left a terrible toll in its wake. This prompted Washington to act swiftly and decisively. To try to prevent escalation, the United States acted swiftly to support Israel in the wake of Hamas' unprecedented attack on southern Israel. President Biden's administration deployed a fighter jet, ships and other military equipment to the eastern Mediterranean, as well as a commitment to provide Israel with essential supplies and ammunition.

Fighter jets are also being sent to bolster the US presence in the area. The White House has pledged additional military assistance for Israel in the coming days, reiterating its commitment to prevent Israel's enemies from taking advantage of the current circumstance. The size of this deployment underscores US concerns that the current conflict between Israel and Hamas could worsen and affect other countries in the region. Of particular concern is the involvement of the powerful Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, which is supported by Iran, a country known to support and arm Hamas. 

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has expressed support for the Hamas attack and accused Israel of provoking instability in the region. In response, Hamas has acknowledged receiving assistance from the Islamic Republic for its operation, which used a variety of weapons, including rockets, drones and militants flying paragliders. In addition to breaking through Israeli border defences surrounding the Gaza Strip, hundreds of fighters carried out the horrific attack. 

Iranian support for Hamas is undeniable, despite Antony Blinken's clarification that there is no evidence of Iranian involvement in this particular attack. "Hamas would not exist without the support it has received from Iran over a long period of time. So far, there is no concrete evidence to indicate that Iran was responsible for or involved in this specific attack. However, the support over the years has been evident," Blinken said. 

Americas Coordinator:  José Antonio Sierra.