Jordan To Host Meeting Of Arab Foreign Ministers Saturday

Reuters reporting that, according to a Jordanian official, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will attend a meeting of foreign ministers from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and Egypt tomorrow.

• Blinken said at a press conference today: "I’ve returned to the region to engage in intense diplomacy with our partners to try to help ensure that an attack like October 7th never happens again, and in doing so that we forge a very different future, for Israelis and Palestinians alike..."
• Blinken continued: "Partners throughout the Middle East and beyond have a critical role to play in averting escalation, and that will be a major focus of my conversations throughout this trip."
• Arab states have taken differing approaches to the war. Jordan this week recalled its ambassador from Israel saying in a statement that diplomatic relations would only be restored if Israel ceased its war on Gaza.
• Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have offered less overt condemnation of Israel and, according to US officials, remain open to Israel's regional integration.
• Qatar, which maintains direct lines of communication with Hamas, is widely considered a crucial intermediary for talks on "humanitarian pauses" and on prisoner exchanges, and future ceasefire negotiations.