U.S. Department of State Weekly Digest Bulletin

Sanctioning Violent Palestinian Group in the West Bank
06/06/2024

Sanctioning Violent Palestinian Group in the West Bank
06/06/2024 10:44 AM EDT

Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson

The Department of State is today imposing sanctions on “Lions’ Den,” a militant Palestinian group centered in Nablus’s Old City in the West Bank.

In October 2022, Lions’ Den claimed responsibility for several drive-by shootings in the Nablus area. Lions’ Den members opened fire at Israeli vehicles driving close to the nearby settlement of Elon Moreh, injuring a taxi driver and damaging vehicles. In a separate attack, numerous shots were fired toward the West Bank settlement of Har Bracha. In September 2022, Lions’ Den fighters injured and killed Palestinian civilians during clashes between Palestinian fighters and Palestinian Authority Security Forces in Nablus. In April 2024, Palestinian media reported that Lions’ Den fighters targeted Israeli forces with small arms at an Israeli checkpoint in Nablus.

The United States condemns any and all acts of violence committed in the West Bank, whoever the perpetrators, and we will use the tools at our disposal to expose and hold accountable those who threaten peace and stability there.

Today’s target is being designated for being responsible for, or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, actions—including directing, enacting, implementing, enforcing, or failing to enforce policies—that threaten the peace, security, or stability of the West Bank, pursuant to section 1 (a)(i)(A) of Executive Order (E.O.) 14115, as well as for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in planning, ordering, otherwise directing, or participating in an act of violence or threat of violence targeting civilians, affecting the West Bank, pursuant to section 1(a)(i)(B)(1) of E.O. 14115. Petitions for removal from the SDN List may be sent to: OFAC.Reconsideration@treasury.gov. Petitioners may also refer to the Department of State’s Delisting Guidance page.

Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Tony Dokoupil of CBS Mornings
06/06/2024
Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Tony Dokoupil of CBS Mornings
06/06/2024 11:19 AM EDT

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Colleville-sur-Mer, France

Normandy American Cemetery

QUESTION: Also here this morning, somebody who helped with that speech, Secretary of State Antony Blinken. And he joins me now. Mr. Secretary, thank you very much for being here.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good to be with you.

QUESTION: Late last evening, I walked down to Omaha Beach myself, and I saw there at one of the memorials a note from the next generation, from this generation, that said, “Thank you for our freedom.” Is that what this is about today?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Very much. There’s a debt, a debt that we can’t possibly repay to those who came here in defense of freedom. And had they not come here, had they not summoned the courage, the common purpose to do what they did, we probably wouldn’t be here today. We see that in the fallen behind us. We see it in the extraordinary veterans who are here today, veterans of the Normandy landings.

QUESTION: Yeah. D-Day helped win World War – helped win World War II, and World War II helped bring into existence the world we live in today. The rules, the order – Secretary Austin talked about this in his speech. I was able to hear some snippets of it.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: That’s right.

QUESTION: It now can appear at times like that order is shaking, particularly when we see war in Ukraine and now, just overnight, Vladimir Putin saying, oh, if you’re going to arm Ukraine to strike us, we’re going to arm your enemies to strike you.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: The order is challenged, but the order is strong. We see it in the extraordinary resolve now of more than 50 countries, for example, who are helping to defend Ukraine, defend Ukraine against the aggression being brought by Russia and Mr. Putin. We see it in solidarity not only in Europe but all across the world, including in Asia – countries standing up in defense of freedom, in defense of the very rules that you mentioned that were established after World War II. And there’s a – there was a purpose behind that.

After two world wars, we wanted to do everything possible to make sure that there wouldn’t be a third. And at the heart of that is an international order, an understanding that one country can’t simply violate the territory of another by force, change its borders by force, seize its land, try to dominate its future. If we don’t stand up for those rules in our time, then we risk seeing what happened in the time that we’re commemorating today.

QUESTION: What’s remarkable is that what you just said has been the position of American presidents, Republican and Democrat, for decades now. But what we see at home in Gallup polling is that the majority of Americans – two-thirds in fact – are not satisfied with America’s role in the world. Now, that can mean a lot of things, but one thing it definitely means is that there is some disagreement about what we should be doing out there to maintain security.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, there was disagreement before World War II as well, and that’s not new. And of course the world is an incredibly dangerous place. It’s an incredibly challenged place. But we’re all the stronger in being able to meet those challenges because we have a unique ability to bring other countries together. The Alliance that we have today – just the NATO Alliance – is stronger. It’s larger than it’s ever been. It’s better resourced. And what I hear when I’m going around the world is country after country looking to the United States, looking for engagement, looking for leadership. And it’s – it’s really what our comparative advantage is because our adversaries, they don’t benefit from these alliances. They have to coerce other countries into helping them. Maybe they have to bribe them, in effect, into helping them. We have voluntary alliances.

And, Tony, back in the day after World War II, there was something called enlightened self-interest. We went off – yes, partly altruism, but mostly because it was in our interest to do it. Preventing something bad from happening, that meant that we wouldn’t have to deal with something much bigger later. Getting new allies, new partners, that benefitted us.

QUESTION: Are you able to confirm right now and just level with the American people about the use of American weapons inside Russia? I know the rules for engagement by Ukraine using our arms were loosened recently by the Biden administration, and we understand that there have now been strikes in Russian territory with American weapons. Is that true?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, we’ve adjusted. We’ve adapted all along. What the President said the other day was because Russia was massing its forces on the Ukrainian, launching attacks against Ukraine from just over the border in a place that the Ukrainians couldn’t get to them without the authorization to use our weapons to do so, that we needed to adjust to that, to adapt to that. And so our weapons, the weapons of others, are being used in this case to go at the Russians as they’re mounting attacks on Ukraine.

QUESTION: Madeleine Albright called America the indispensable nation. And so on a day like this, I wonder if you could complete the following sentence for me: If not for America, then what?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: If not for America, chaos, lawlessness, and ultimately the things that we take for granted, the democracy that we take for granted, that would be in jeopardy. Look, this day really resonates for me, Tony, because 80 years ago my dad had just left college to sign up for the Air Force, and he was getting ready to fly. My stepfather was somewhere else. He was in a concentration camp of some hundreds of miles from here. And the forces that came to Normandy 80 years and then started that march that ultimately, 11 months later, ended World War II, they wound up liberating my stepdad from the concentration camps. That’s what America stands for, for so many people around the world.

QUESTION: Yeah. And as we were talking about earlier, we’re all children of their sacrifice, this D-Day generation.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: We are. We are.

QUESTION: Secretary Blinken, thank you very much.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good to be with you.


Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Tony Dokoupil of CBS Mornings
06/06/2024

Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Tony Dokoupil of CBS Mornings
06/06/2024 11:19 AM EDT

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Colleville-sur-Mer, France

Normandy American Cemetery

QUESTION: Also here this morning, somebody who helped with that speech, Secretary of State Antony Blinken. And he joins me now. Mr. Secretary, thank you very much for being here.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good to be with you.

QUESTION: Late last evening, I walked down to Omaha Beach myself, and I saw there at one of the memorials a note from the next generation, from this generation, that said, “Thank you for our freedom.” Is that what this is about today?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Very much. There’s a debt, a debt that we can’t possibly repay to those who came here in defense of freedom. And had they not come here, had they not summoned the courage, the common purpose to do what they did, we probably wouldn’t be here today. We see that in the fallen behind us. We see it in the extraordinary veterans who are here today, veterans of the Normandy landings.

QUESTION: Yeah. D-Day helped win World War – helped win World War II, and World War II helped bring into existence the world we live in today. The rules, the order – Secretary Austin talked about this in his speech. I was able to hear some snippets of it.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: That’s right.

QUESTION: It now can appear at times like that order is shaking, particularly when we see war in Ukraine and now, just overnight, Vladimir Putin saying, oh, if you’re going to arm Ukraine to strike us, we’re going to arm your enemies to strike you.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: The order is challenged, but the order is strong. We see it in the extraordinary resolve now of more than 50 countries, for example, who are helping to defend Ukraine, defend Ukraine against the aggression being brought by Russia and Mr. Putin. We see it in solidarity not only in Europe but all across the world, including in Asia – countries standing up in defense of freedom, in defense of the very rules that you mentioned that were established after World War II. And there’s a – there was a purpose behind that.

After two world wars, we wanted to do everything possible to make sure that there wouldn’t be a third. And at the heart of that is an international order, an understanding that one country can’t simply violate the territory of another by force, change its borders by force, seize its land, try to dominate its future. If we don’t stand up for those rules in our time, then we risk seeing what happened in the time that we’re commemorating today.

QUESTION: What’s remarkable is that what you just said has been the position of American presidents, Republican and Democrat, for decades now. But what we see at home in Gallup polling is that the majority of Americans – two-thirds in fact – are not satisfied with America’s role in the world. Now, that can mean a lot of things, but one thing it definitely means is that there is some disagreement about what we should be doing out there to maintain security.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, there was disagreement before World War II as well, and that’s not new. And of course the world is an incredibly dangerous place. It’s an incredibly challenged place. But we’re all the stronger in being able to meet those challenges because we have a unique ability to bring other countries together. The Alliance that we have today – just the NATO Alliance – is stronger. It’s larger than it’s ever been. It’s better resourced. And what I hear when I’m going around the world is country after country looking to the United States, looking for engagement, looking for leadership. And it’s – it’s really what our comparative advantage is because our adversaries, they don’t benefit from these alliances. They have to coerce other countries into helping them. Maybe they have to bribe them, in effect, into helping them. We have voluntary alliances.

And, Tony, back in the day after World War II, there was something called enlightened self-interest. We went off – yes, partly altruism, but mostly because it was in our interest to do it. Preventing something bad from happening, that meant that we wouldn’t have to deal with something much bigger later. Getting new allies, new partners, that benefitted us.

QUESTION: Are you able to confirm right now and just level with the American people about the use of American weapons inside Russia? I know the rules for engagement by Ukraine using our arms were loosened recently by the Biden administration, and we understand that there have now been strikes in Russian territory with American weapons. Is that true?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, we’ve adjusted. We’ve adapted all along. What the President said the other day was because Russia was massing its forces on the Ukrainian, launching attacks against Ukraine from just over the border in a place that the Ukrainians couldn’t get to them without the authorization to use our weapons to do so, that we needed to adjust to that, to adapt to that. And so our weapons, the weapons of others, are being used in this case to go at the Russians as they’re mounting attacks on Ukraine.

QUESTION: Madeleine Albright called America the indispensable nation. And so on a day like this, I wonder if you could complete the following sentence for me: If not for America, then what?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: If not for America, chaos, lawlessness, and ultimately the things that we take for granted, the democracy that we take for granted, that would be in jeopardy. Look, this day really resonates for me, Tony, because 80 years ago my dad had just left college to sign up for the Air Force, and he was getting ready to fly. My stepfather was somewhere else. He was in a concentration camp of some hundreds of miles from here. And the forces that came to Normandy 80 years and then started that march that ultimately, 11 months later, ended World War II, they wound up liberating my stepdad from the concentration camps. That’s what America stands for, for so many people around the world.

QUESTION: Yeah. And as we were talking about earlier, we’re all children of their sacrifice, this D-Day generation.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: We are. We are.

QUESTION: Secretary Blinken, thank you very much.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good to be with you.


Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Tony Dokoupil of CBS Mornings
06/06/2024
Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Tony Dokoupil of CBS Mornings
06/06/2024 11:19 AM EDT


Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Colleville-sur-Mer, France

Normandy American Cemetery

QUESTION: Also here this morning, somebody who helped with that speech, Secretary of State Antony Blinken. And he joins me now. Mr. Secretary, thank you very much for being here.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good to be with you.

QUESTION: Late last evening, I walked down to Omaha Beach myself, and I saw there at one of the memorials a note from the next generation, from this generation, that said, “Thank you for our freedom.” Is that what this is about today?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Very much. There’s a debt, a debt that we can’t possibly repay to those who came here in defense of freedom. And had they not come here, had they not summoned the courage, the common purpose to do what they did, we probably wouldn’t be here today. We see that in the fallen behind us. We see it in the extraordinary veterans who are here today, veterans of the Normandy landings.

QUESTION: Yeah. D-Day helped win World War – helped win World War II, and World War II helped bring into existence the world we live in today. The rules, the order – Secretary Austin talked about this in his speech. I was able to hear some snippets of it.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: That’s right.

QUESTION: It now can appear at times like that order is shaking, particularly when we see war in Ukraine and now, just overnight, Vladimir Putin saying, oh, if you’re going to arm Ukraine to strike us, we’re going to arm your enemies to strike you.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: The order is challenged, but the order is strong. We see it in the extraordinary resolve now of more than 50 countries, for example, who are helping to defend Ukraine, defend Ukraine against the aggression being brought by Russia and Mr. Putin. We see it in solidarity not only in Europe but all across the world, including in Asia – countries standing up in defense of freedom, in defense of the very rules that you mentioned that were established after World War II. And there’s a – there was a purpose behind that.

After two world wars, we wanted to do everything possible to make sure that there wouldn’t be a third. And at the heart of that is an international order, an understanding that one country can’t simply violate the territory of another by force, change its borders by force, seize its land, try to dominate its future. If we don’t stand up for those rules in our time, then we risk seeing what happened in the time that we’re commemorating today.

QUESTION: What’s remarkable is that what you just said has been the position of American presidents, Republican and Democrat, for decades now. But what we see at home in Gallup polling is that the majority of Americans – two-thirds in fact – are not satisfied with America’s role in the world. Now, that can mean a lot of things, but one thing it definitely means is that there is some disagreement about what we should be doing out there to maintain security.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, there was disagreement before World War II as well, and that’s not new. And of course the world is an incredibly dangerous place. It’s an incredibly challenged place. But we’re all the stronger in being able to meet those challenges because we have a unique ability to bring other countries together. The Alliance that we have today – just the NATO Alliance – is stronger. It’s larger than it’s ever been. It’s better resourced. And what I hear when I’m going around the world is country after country looking to the United States, looking for engagement, looking for leadership. And it’s – it’s really what our comparative advantage is because our adversaries, they don’t benefit from these alliances. They have to coerce other countries into helping them. Maybe they have to bribe them, in effect, into helping them. We have voluntary alliances.

And, Tony, back in the day after World War II, there was something called enlightened self-interest. We went off – yes, partly altruism, but mostly because it was in our interest to do it. Preventing something bad from happening, that meant that we wouldn’t have to deal with something much bigger later. Getting new allies, new partners, that benefitted us.

QUESTION: Are you able to confirm right now and just level with the American people about the use of American weapons inside Russia? I know the rules for engagement by Ukraine using our arms were loosened recently by the Biden administration, and we understand that there have now been strikes in Russian territory with American weapons. Is that true?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, we’ve adjusted. We’ve adapted all along. What the President said the other day was because Russia was massing its forces on the Ukrainian, launching attacks against Ukraine from just over the border in a place that the Ukrainians couldn’t get to them without the authorization to use our weapons to do so, that we needed to adjust to that, to adapt to that. And so our weapons, the weapons of others, are being used in this case to go at the Russians as they’re mounting attacks on Ukraine.

QUESTION: Madeleine Albright called America the indispensable nation. And so on a day like this, I wonder if you could complete the following sentence for me: If not for America, then what?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: If not for America, chaos, lawlessness, and ultimately the things that we take for granted, the democracy that we take for granted, that would be in jeopardy. Look, this day really resonates for me, Tony, because 80 years ago my dad had just left college to sign up for the Air Force, and he was getting ready to fly. My stepfather was somewhere else. He was in a concentration camp of some hundreds of miles from here. And the forces that came to Normandy 80 years and then started that march that ultimately, 11 months later, ended World War II, they wound up liberating my stepdad from the concentration camps. That’s what America stands for, for so many people around the world.

QUESTION: Yeah. And as we were talking about earlier, we’re all children of their sacrifice, this D-Day generation.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: We are. We are.

QUESTION: Secretary Blinken, thank you very much.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good to be with you.


Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Mika Brzezinski, Jonathan Lemire, and Michael Barnicle of MSNBC’s Morning Joe
06/06/2024


Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Mika Brzezinski, Jonathan Lemire, and Michael Barnicle of MSNBC’s Morning Joe
06/06/2024 11:38 AM EDT



Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Colleville-sur-Mer, France

Normandy American Cemetery

QUESTION: And joining us now from Normandy, the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Thank you very much for joining us here on Morning Joe.

What should our allies and enemies —

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Morning, Mika.

QUESTION: — take away from the President’s speech this morning in Normandy?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: The same resolve that the extraordinary men and women that we’re celebrating today showed then, he’s showing now. Because they did what they did, we’re here today. And we not only have a responsibility to honor what they did, but the real way to honor it is to make sure that we’re good in our time, in our moment, in standing up to the challenges that we face.

And one of those we see now is aggression from Russia, not only against Ukraine but against the very principles at the heart of the international system that were put in place after World War II to try to make sure that we didn’t have another world war, that we maintained peace and security. The President’s determined to make sure we’re standing up today, just as they stood up 80 years ago.

QUESTION: And the President talked about Ukraine as one of the current challenges that exemplified the fight against dark forces that never fade. And he made another – yet another commitment. He reinforced the commitment to Ukraine.

And by the way, if I may, we’re watching live pictures right now of President Biden and the First Lady walking through the cemetery in Normandy, France. And as we look at these pictures –which really symbolize the losses 80 years ago on D-Day – and talk about the losses that Ukraine is incurring right now from the same type of aggression, the President did say that the support for Ukraine would continue, that we will be there for Ukraine. How does that parallel with some of the reticence we have seen in Washington that actually delayed the much-needed aid Ukraine needed to push back against Russian aggression?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, you know, Mika, that aid should have gotten there a long time ago. But I’m glad it’s there now, and it’s making a difference. Every single day we’re pushing it out to the frontlines, making sure the Ukrainians who need it against this Russian aggression have it and can use it.

But there’s a really powerful parallel too between what we’re commemorating today and what we’re doing now. Back then, it wasn’t just the United States. Here in Normandy, 12 countries came together, 160,000 men coming to this beach, coming to start the final fight that ultimately, 11 months later, led to victory in World War II. In Ukraine, we have more than 50 countries standing up, standing together, making sure that Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself and to push back this aggression. And that’s the power of our alliances and that’s the biggest difference maker we have in the world.

Our adversaries, our competitors, they don’t have the same kind of voluntarily alliances. Yes, sometimes they coerce countries into helping them, or maybe they pay them off. Here we have country after country that volunteers to stand together, stand together in defense of principles that we share and know need defending. We’re seeing that in Ukraine; we saw that 80 years ago in Normandy.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, good morning. Jonathan Lamire. Of course, the war in —

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Jonathan.

QUESTION: — Ukraine is the backdrop to where you are today there in Normandy. And I wanted to get your reaction – Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has said now a few times, including last night on social media, that – he is saying that Vladimir Putin will release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who of course is being held prisoner on espionage charges, has been so for more than a year. And Trump suggests that Putin will do so right after the election, were Trump to win. Can you give us a sense as to what he’s talking about? Is there some sort of back-channel conversation between Trump and Putin, or is this sort of just dangerous and incendiary rhetoric?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, I don’t know what he’s talking about; I can’t speculate on it. All I can tell you is we’re working every day to make sure that Americans who are being detained arbitrarily, whether it’s in Russia or anywhere else, come home. And we’ve managed to bring more Americans home who are being arbitrarily detained than, I believe, any administration. And I carry a list with me every day of the Americans who remain detained by one power or another, and we’re working every day to make sure that not another day goes by before they’re brought home to their families. So I’m not sure what he’s referencing, but I can tell you we’re working at it every day.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, as you sat there this morning on sacred ground, you witnessed a group of veterans aged 98 to 103 struggling to stand in order to receive the Legion of Merit from both the President of the United States and the President of France. Given the burden that the President is carrying and that you are carrying in Gaza, in the Donbas, in Kyiv, I was wondering, as you watched the ceremonies and looked at the faces of these aged veterans, what were you thinking about?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Mike, it’s – it was such an incredibly powerful moment to look at these men and to try to imagine what it was like for them 80 years ago, when they were 18, 19, 20 years old. And I’ve got to tell you, I thought back, too, because it resonated with me – my dad then, 80 years ago, had just left college in the middle of his schoolyear to sign up for the Air Force, to prepare to go into World War II. And somewhere else on this continent, my stepfather was incarcerated in a concentration camp, a death camp.

And the men who came here to Normandy 80 years ago and turned the tide in the war – because 11 months later, World War II was over – some of them went on to liberate those camps and liberate my stepdad. And he was liberated by an American tank with that five-pointed white star on it, rushing up to a GI in the tank who opened the hatch – an African American GI – and he said them the only words that he knew in the English language: God bless America. That’s what I was thinking about today. God bless America. God bless those men who were before us who saved the world.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, the President talked about NATO, how it’s growing, how much stronger it will become against these dark forces. We have had a time in the United States where the commander in chief, the – at the time did not respect NATO – I’ll say it kindly – undermined it. Can you share what’s most important about the conviction and commitment of this international Alliance?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Mika, it’s really, as I said, our comparative advantage that we can bring other countries together in common purpose so that it’s not just America alone. It’s all of us taking on and upholding the cause of freedom. In Ukraine, it’s more than 50 countries, not just the United States, and for everything that we’re putting into it, collectively, our partners, our allies are putting in even more. And that’s what’s making the difference. So to deny ourselves those alliances, those partnerships would be to shortchange our own interests and to mean that we’d either have to do everything ourselves or it wouldn’t get done.

You know, we used to have an idea after World War II called enlightened self-interest, where the investments we made in others, the work we did with others, that came back 10 times, 100 times, 1000 times to our benefit. It meant we had new allies to deter aggression; it meant we had new partners to deal with big problems that one country can’t deal with alone. We had new markets for our businesses and our workers to sell to. That made sense for America. It still makes sense for America, and President Biden is determined and – as he has been from day one to make sure that our alliances are strong, our partnerships are real, because that’s good for the country.

QUESTION: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, thank you very much for being on this morning, live from Normandy. We appreciate it.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thanks, Mika.

QUESTION: All right. Take care.


Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Mika Brzezinski, Jonathan Lemire, and Michael Barnicle of MSNBC’s Morning Joe
06/06/2024


Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Mika Brzezinski, Jonathan Lemire, and Michael Barnicle of MSNBC’s Morning Joe
06/06/2024 11:38 AM EDT

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Colleville-sur-Mer, France

Normandy American Cemetery

QUESTION: And joining us now from Normandy, the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Thank you very much for joining us here on Morning Joe.

What should our allies and enemies —

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Morning, Mika.

QUESTION: — take away from the President’s speech this morning in Normandy?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: The same resolve that the extraordinary men and women that we’re celebrating today showed then, he’s showing now. Because they did what they did, we’re here today. And we not only have a responsibility to honor what they did, but the real way to honor it is to make sure that we’re good in our time, in our moment, in standing up to the challenges that we face.

And one of those we see now is aggression from Russia, not only against Ukraine but against the very principles at the heart of the international system that were put in place after World War II to try to make sure that we didn’t have another world war, that we maintained peace and security. The President’s determined to make sure we’re standing up today, just as they stood up 80 years ago.

QUESTION: And the President talked about Ukraine as one of the current challenges that exemplified the fight against dark forces that never fade. And he made another – yet another commitment. He reinforced the commitment to Ukraine.

And by the way, if I may, we’re watching live pictures right now of President Biden and the First Lady walking through the cemetery in Normandy, France. And as we look at these pictures –which really symbolize the losses 80 years ago on D-Day – and talk about the losses that Ukraine is incurring right now from the same type of aggression, the President did say that the support for Ukraine would continue, that we will be there for Ukraine. How does that parallel with some of the reticence we have seen in Washington that actually delayed the much-needed aid Ukraine needed to push back against Russian aggression?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, you know, Mika, that aid should have gotten there a long time ago. But I’m glad it’s there now, and it’s making a difference. Every single day we’re pushing it out to the frontlines, making sure the Ukrainians who need it against this Russian aggression have it and can use it.

But there’s a really powerful parallel too between what we’re commemorating today and what we’re doing now. Back then, it wasn’t just the United States. Here in Normandy, 12 countries came together, 160,000 men coming to this beach, coming to start the final fight that ultimately, 11 months later, led to victory in World War II. In Ukraine, we have more than 50 countries standing up, standing together, making sure that Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself and to push back this aggression. And that’s the power of our alliances and that’s the biggest difference maker we have in the world.

Our adversaries, our competitors, they don’t have the same kind of voluntarily alliances. Yes, sometimes they coerce countries into helping them, or maybe they pay them off. Here we have country after country that volunteers to stand together, stand together in defense of principles that we share and know need defending. We’re seeing that in Ukraine; we saw that 80 years ago in Normandy.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, good morning. Jonathan Lamire. Of course, the war in —

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Jonathan.

QUESTION: — Ukraine is the backdrop to where you are today there in Normandy. And I wanted to get your reaction – Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has said now a few times, including last night on social media, that – he is saying that Vladimir Putin will release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who of course is being held prisoner on espionage charges, has been so for more than a year. And Trump suggests that Putin will do so right after the election, were Trump to win. Can you give us a sense as to what he’s talking about? Is there some sort of back-channel conversation between Trump and Putin, or is this sort of just dangerous and incendiary rhetoric?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, I don’t know what he’s talking about; I can’t speculate on it. All I can tell you is we’re working every day to make sure that Americans who are being detained arbitrarily, whether it’s in Russia or anywhere else, come home. And we’ve managed to bring more Americans home who are being arbitrarily detained than, I believe, any administration. And I carry a list with me every day of the Americans who remain detained by one power or another, and we’re working every day to make sure that not another day goes by before they’re brought home to their families. So I’m not sure what he’s referencing, but I can tell you we’re working at it every day.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, as you sat there this morning on sacred ground, you witnessed a group of veterans aged 98 to 103 struggling to stand in order to receive the Legion of Merit from both the President of the United States and the President of France. Given the burden that the President is carrying and that you are carrying in Gaza, in the Donbas, in Kyiv, I was wondering, as you watched the ceremonies and looked at the faces of these aged veterans, what were you thinking about?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Mike, it’s – it was such an incredibly powerful moment to look at these men and to try to imagine what it was like for them 80 years ago, when they were 18, 19, 20 years old. And I’ve got to tell you, I thought back, too, because it resonated with me – my dad then, 80 years ago, had just left college in the middle of his schoolyear to sign up for the Air Force, to prepare to go into World War II. And somewhere else on this continent, my stepfather was incarcerated in a concentration camp, a death camp.

And the men who came here to Normandy 80 years ago and turned the tide in the war – because 11 months later, World War II was over – some of them went on to liberate those camps and liberate my stepdad. And he was liberated by an American tank with that five-pointed white star on it, rushing up to a GI in the tank who opened the hatch – an African American GI – and he said them the only words that he knew in the English language: God bless America. That’s what I was thinking about today. God bless America. God bless those men who were before us who saved the world.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, the President talked about NATO, how it’s growing, how much stronger it will become against these dark forces. We have had a time in the United States where the commander in chief, the – at the time did not respect NATO – I’ll say it kindly – undermined it. Can you share what’s most important about the conviction and commitment of this international Alliance?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Mika, it’s really, as I said, our comparative advantage that we can bring other countries together in common purpose so that it’s not just America alone. It’s all of us taking on and upholding the cause of freedom. In Ukraine, it’s more than 50 countries, not just the United States, and for everything that we’re putting into it, collectively, our partners, our allies are putting in even more. And that’s what’s making the difference. So to deny ourselves those alliances, those partnerships would be to shortchange our own interests and to mean that we’d either have to do everything ourselves or it wouldn’t get done.

You know, we used to have an idea after World War II called enlightened self-interest, where the investments we made in others, the work we did with others, that came back 10 times, 100 times, 1000 times to our benefit. It meant we had new allies to deter aggression; it meant we had new partners to deal with big problems that one country can’t deal with alone. We had new markets for our businesses and our workers to sell to. That made sense for America. It still makes sense for America, and President Biden is determined and – as he has been from day one to make sure that our alliances are strong, our partnerships are real, because that’s good for the country.

QUESTION: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, thank you very much for being on this morning, live from Normandy. We appreciate it.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thanks, Mika.

QUESTION: All right. Take care.


Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Mika Brzezinski, Jonathan Lemire, and Michael Barnicle of MSNBC’s Morning Joe
06/06/2024
Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Mika Brzezinski, Jonathan Lemire, and Michael Barnicle of MSNBC’s Morning Joe
06/06/2024 11:38 AM EDT

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Colleville-sur-Mer, France

Normandy American Cemetery

QUESTION: And joining us now from Normandy, the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Thank you very much for joining us here on Morning Joe.

What should our allies and enemies —

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Morning, Mika.

QUESTION: — take away from the President’s speech this morning in Normandy?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: The same resolve that the extraordinary men and women that we’re celebrating today showed then, he’s showing now. Because they did what they did, we’re here today. And we not only have a responsibility to honor what they did, but the real way to honor it is to make sure that we’re good in our time, in our moment, in standing up to the challenges that we face.

And one of those we see now is aggression from Russia, not only against Ukraine but against the very principles at the heart of the international system that were put in place after World War II to try to make sure that we didn’t have another world war, that we maintained peace and security. The President’s determined to make sure we’re standing up today, just as they stood up 80 years ago.

QUESTION: And the President talked about Ukraine as one of the current challenges that exemplified the fight against dark forces that never fade. And he made another – yet another commitment. He reinforced the commitment to Ukraine.

And by the way, if I may, we’re watching live pictures right now of President Biden and the First Lady walking through the cemetery in Normandy, France. And as we look at these pictures –which really symbolize the losses 80 years ago on D-Day – and talk about the losses that Ukraine is incurring right now from the same type of aggression, the President did say that the support for Ukraine would continue, that we will be there for Ukraine. How does that parallel with some of the reticence we have seen in Washington that actually delayed the much-needed aid Ukraine needed to push back against Russian aggression?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, you know, Mika, that aid should have gotten there a long time ago. But I’m glad it’s there now, and it’s making a difference. Every single day we’re pushing it out to the frontlines, making sure the Ukrainians who need it against this Russian aggression have it and can use it.

But there’s a really powerful parallel too between what we’re commemorating today and what we’re doing now. Back then, it wasn’t just the United States. Here in Normandy, 12 countries came together, 160,000 men coming to this beach, coming to start the final fight that ultimately, 11 months later, led to victory in World War II. In Ukraine, we have more than 50 countries standing up, standing together, making sure that Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself and to push back this aggression. And that’s the power of our alliances and that’s the biggest difference maker we have in the world.

Our adversaries, our competitors, they don’t have the same kind of voluntarily alliances. Yes, sometimes they coerce countries into helping them, or maybe they pay them off. Here we have country after country that volunteers to stand together, stand together in defense of principles that we share and know need defending. We’re seeing that in Ukraine; we saw that 80 years ago in Normandy.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, good morning. Jonathan Lamire. Of course, the war in —

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Jonathan.

QUESTION: — Ukraine is the backdrop to where you are today there in Normandy. And I wanted to get your reaction – Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has said now a few times, including last night on social media, that – he is saying that Vladimir Putin will release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who of course is being held prisoner on espionage charges, has been so for more than a year. And Trump suggests that Putin will do so right after the election, were Trump to win. Can you give us a sense as to what he’s talking about? Is there some sort of back-channel conversation between Trump and Putin, or is this sort of just dangerous and incendiary rhetoric?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, I don’t know what he’s talking about; I can’t speculate on it. All I can tell you is we’re working every day to make sure that Americans who are being detained arbitrarily, whether it’s in Russia or anywhere else, come home. And we’ve managed to bring more Americans home who are being arbitrarily detained than, I believe, any administration. And I carry a list with me every day of the Americans who remain detained by one power or another, and we’re working every day to make sure that not another day goes by before they’re brought home to their families. So I’m not sure what he’s referencing, but I can tell you we’re working at it every day.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, as you sat there this morning on sacred ground, you witnessed a group of veterans aged 98 to 103 struggling to stand in order to receive the Legion of Merit from both the President of the United States and the President of France. Given the burden that the President is carrying and that you are carrying in Gaza, in the Donbas, in Kyiv, I was wondering, as you watched the ceremonies and looked at the faces of these aged veterans, what were you thinking about?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Mike, it’s – it was such an incredibly powerful moment to look at these men and to try to imagine what it was like for them 80 years ago, when they were 18, 19, 20 years old. And I’ve got to tell you, I thought back, too, because it resonated with me – my dad then, 80 years ago, had just left college in the middle of his schoolyear to sign up for the Air Force, to prepare to go into World War II. And somewhere else on this continent, my stepfather was incarcerated in a concentration camp, a death camp.

And the men who came here to Normandy 80 years ago and turned the tide in the war – because 11 months later, World War II was over – some of them went on to liberate those camps and liberate my stepdad. And he was liberated by an American tank with that five-pointed white star on it, rushing up to a GI in the tank who opened the hatch – an African American GI – and he said them the only words that he knew in the English language: God bless America. That’s what I was thinking about today. God bless America. God bless those men who were before us who saved the world.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, the President talked about NATO, how it’s growing, how much stronger it will become against these dark forces. We have had a time in the United States where the commander in chief, the – at the time did not respect NATO – I’ll say it kindly – undermined it. Can you share what’s most important about the conviction and commitment of this international Alliance?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Mika, it’s really, as I said, our comparative advantage that we can bring other countries together in common purpose so that it’s not just America alone. It’s all of us taking on and upholding the cause of freedom. In Ukraine, it’s more than 50 countries, not just the United States, and for everything that we’re putting into it, collectively, our partners, our allies are putting in even more. And that’s what’s making the difference. So to deny ourselves those alliances, those partnerships would be to shortchange our own interests and to mean that we’d either have to do everything ourselves or it wouldn’t get done.

You know, we used to have an idea after World War II called enlightened self-interest, where the investments we made in others, the work we did with others, that came back 10 times, 100 times, 1000 times to our benefit. It meant we had new allies to deter aggression; it meant we had new partners to deal with big problems that one country can’t deal with alone. We had new markets for our businesses and our workers to sell to. That made sense for America. It still makes sense for America, and President Biden is determined and – as he has been from day one to make sure that our alliances are strong, our partnerships are real, because that’s good for the country.

QUESTION: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, thank you very much for being on this morning, live from Normandy. We appreciate it.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thanks, Mika.

QUESTION: All right. Take care.



Department Press Briefing – June 06, 2024
06/06/2024

Department Press Briefing – June 06, 2024
06/06/2024 06:27 PM EDT

HomeDepartment Press Briefing – June 06, 2024
hide

June 6, 2024

1:43 p.m. EDT


MR MILLER: Let me start with some opening comments. The United States remains deeply concerned with the Georgia Dream party’s anti-democratic actions as well as its recent statements and rhetoric. These actions risk derailing Georgia’s European future and run counter to the Georgia – Georgian constitution and the wishes of its people. Secretary Blinken recently announced a comprehensive review of all bilateral cooperation between the United States and Georgia. As part of that review, the department implemented a new visa restriction policy to address these actions under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.


Today, under this policy, we are taking steps to impose visa restrictions on dozens of Georgian individuals. This includes individuals responsible for or complicit in and immediate family members of those responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Georgia, such as by undermining freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, violently attacking peaceful protestors, intimidating civil society representatives, and deliberately spreading disinformation at the direction of the Georgian Government.


This first tranche of visa restrictions comprises members of the Georgian Dream party, members of parliament, law enforcement, and private citizens. It remains our hope that Georgia’s leaders will reconsider their actions and take steps to move forward with their nations long-stated democratic and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. But if they do not, the United States is prepared to take additional actions.


And with that, Matt.


QUESTION: Okay. Thank you. Is – can you give us any better idea of how many dozen?


MR MILLER: A few dozen. This is a first – this is the first tranche. It is a few dozen. We never —


QUESTION: Okay. So a couple dozen could be read as two. A few – does that mean three?


MR MILLER: Around that. Between – it is between two and three dozen. We don’t generally give out —


QUESTION: Okay.


MR MILLER: — specific numbers, but it’s between two and three dozen.


QUESTION: Okay.


MR MILLER: And I want to emphasize this is a first tranche of sanctions.


QUESTION: Yeah, but – and have these people been notified, do you know?


MR MILLER: They have not been notified. We typically don’t notify people, but they find out if they try to come to the United States.


QUESTION: Well, no, you do notify them if they have an existing visa.


MR MILLER: If they – correct, if they have an existing visa.


QUESTION: Has anyone been notified —


MR MILLER: So —


QUESTION: — that their existing visa has been revoked?


MR MILLER: I doubt it has happened because we have just put this into effect today. But for those – if there are people in that category, they would be notified subsequent to this.


QUESTION: Okay. Unless anyone has anything else on this?


QUESTION: Just a follow-up.


QUESTION: Okay. I —


MR MILLER: Yeah.


QUESTION: May I cut in?


MR MILLER: Air condition?


STAFF: We’re working on it.


MR MILLER: Yeah, good.


QUESTION: Any idea how the —


MR MILLER: It’s for the benefit of everyone in the room, not just me. Matt, too, I could tell.


QUESTION: Just to follow up —


QUESTION: Yes.


QUESTION: — how are they selected? We know that there are 80-odd MPs that voted for the law. How do you select two dozen, three dozen out of 86 —


MR MILLER: So first of all, I can’t give you specific names. It’s not – I know it’s not the exact question, but just as a reminder to everyone that visa records are confidential under law, so I’m not able to say with any degree of specificity. But as I said in the statement, we’ve looked at the people who have taken actions to spread disinformation, who have taken actions to undermine democracy, to violently attack peaceful protestors, and intimidate civil society representatives. And as I said, this is just the first step in our series of actions. And I should note that the actions that we are prepared to take are not just necessarily related to these new sanctions that we are posing. We also said that we are undertaking a full review of our relationship with the Government of Georgia.


QUESTION: Does it include the speaker, the man who signed it into law?


MR MILLER: As I just said, I’m prohibited by law from announcing who visa restrictions apply to.


QUESTION: Okay. But how many tranches, Matt, do you expect, if you know?


MR MILLER: I can’t give you any definition on that question today. I can tell you that we are prepared to impose additional sanctions, and we will take all other steps as appropriate.


QUESTION: Matt, what message are you trying to send by splitting it into tranches? Are you still hopeful that you might stop this from happening? I mean, next steps —


MR MILLER: So as I said in my opening statement, there is still time for the Georgian Government to reverse the trajectory that it’s on. That doesn’t just reply – apply with respect to this law that they passed. Its applies to the way they have been cracking down on dissent. It applies to the statements that their leaders have made rejecting the path that Georgia has been on for so long. So there is still time to turn it around, and our policy will dependent on – be dependent on the policy that Georgia undertakes.


QUESTION: Please come back to me later.


MR MILLER: Yeah.


QUESTION: Can I move to the Middle East?


MR MILLER: Yeah.


QUESTION: Do you have any updates on the proposal that was put forward? Has Hamas put forward any official response? We heard overnight in a statement some – it sounded like downtrodden response, but then Egypt has reportedly heard some encouraging signs. What’s the latest?


MR MILLER: We have not received an official response from Hamas. Obviously, their – we have been in conversations with our partners in the region, especially with the Government of Egypt and with the Government of Qatar. And those partners have been in conversations with the political wing of Hamas, the – but we have not yet received an official response to the proposal —


QUESTION: When do you expect to —


MR MILLER: — that’s on the table.


QUESTION: — receive a response?


MR MILLER: I don’t have an update on that. We have wanted to see a response as soon as possible. We think this is an – should be an urgent priority to get this ceasefire over the line to start to alleviate the suffering that is happening every day in Gaza. So we would hope for a response from Hamas as soon as possible, and we continue to wait.


QUESTION: And then can I ask on this deadly Israeli strike on a school that was housing IDPs in Gaza. What’s your response to that?


MR MILLER: So we have been in contact with the Government of Israel about this strike. They have said to us essentially what they have said publicly, which is that – and this is their claim – that they were targeting 20 to 30 members of Hamas and other militant groups, that they used a precision strike to target only one part of the building without hitting areas where civilians were sheltering.


At the same time, we’ve seen the reports on the ground. We’ve seen the videos from the ground. We’ve seen the claims that 14 children were killed in this strike. And certainly when you see – if that is accurate that 14 children were killed, those aren’t terrorists. And so the Government of Israel has said that they are going to release more information about this strike, including the names of those who died in it. We expect them to be fully transparent in making that information public.


QUESTION: Were U.S. weapons used in this strike?


MR MILLER: I don’t have any update to that. I’d refer to the Government of Israel to that question.


QUESTION: And then my last question. How does this not cross the red line that the President laid out several weeks ago? This is the second incident in less than two weeks where we’ve seen a pretty large civilian toll and what was supposed to be a precision strike.


MR MILLER: So with respect to the policy that the President announced, he was speaking specifically to a large-scale operation in Rafah, and we have not yet seen a large-scale operation conducted in Rafah.


That said, we have seen strikes that put civilians in danger well before the President said that, and we have made clear to the Government of Israel that we expect them to do everything that they can to minimize civilian harm. We’ve been through this before. It applies in this situation, too. It is a difficult situation – if it is true – that you have this site where Hamas is hiding inside a school, other militants are hiding inside a school, those individuals are legitimate targets, but at the same time they’re embedded near civilians. Israel has a right to try and target those civilians but they also have the obligation to minimize civilian harm and take every step possible to minimize civilian harm. So that’s why we are pressing the Government of Israel and the IDF to be completely transparent about what happened here. We want to know the facts as much as anyone.


QUESTION: Have they taken every stop possible at this —


MR MILLER: We have seen them take improvements over time. But still, if it bears true that this strike resulted in the death of 14 children, the results aren’t where they need to be. So it gets back to this question of intent and results. Even if the intent is what the IDF has said publicly, that they were trying to hit – use a precision strike just to target 20 to 30 militants, if you have seen 14 children die in that strike, that shows that something went wrong. That said, these are all facts that need to be verified, and that’s what we want to see happen.


QUESTION: Matt, could I ask a follow up?


MR MILLER: Go ahead, Simon. I’ll come to you, Simon.


QUESTION: Just to follow-up on the broader issue of civilian harm. So we had this NSM process that came to an end, and you came to these specific conclusions that didn’t lead to any impact on provision of arms to Israel. Now that that kind of 90-day process with the NSM is finished, I guess there’s an annual NSM requirement for you. But just to sort of be clear, as of now, what kind of – are there any, like, timelines you can give on when you’re going to be able to make conclusions regarding Israel’s conduct? Is there a date when we can – when all of these – or at least some of the assessments that you’ve been making since the beginning the war might be completed and you can actually make a definitive —


MR MILLER: There’s not a definitive date I can give you, standing here today. I can tell you that there are a number of reviews going on of specific incidents, and those continue. As we’ve said – or as the report said, the NSM-20 report that we released – it’s often difficult to come to definitive conclusions in the middle of the war, where we don’t have access to information on the ground. Doesn’t mean it’s impossible. We look at it; we sort through; we take all the information that we can and try to use that to make our best judgments. But it does make it difficult.


So that said, we have a number of these reviews going on. We want to see them wrapped up as soon as they can, but they’re difficult and time-consuming. You have to look at facts, and sometimes you have to make legal determinations as well that are informed by those facts, and that’s what’s – that’s what we continue to do.


QUESTION: Will you make public the results of those reviews?


MR MILLER: It’s hard for me to say what we will – it’s hard for me to say what we will do with the result that has not yet finished. I can tell you that there have been some – I’ve said this before – there have been some that have been finished and have found to be no violations, right. You can think about how this might work, same if you look – think about any kind of investigation, where you take a broad – you take say a big number of cases, you can look at some and see right away that no, they don’t rise to the level of violation, some that bear more scrutiny. So there were some that we looked at and were able to take out of the system quickly, and there are a great others that are going forward and we’re continuing to review.


QUESTION: Without trying to go through the laundry list of – there are a lot of cases here, but are there any that you can give us as an example of? This came up in the briefing. For example, there was lots of cases that came up in the briefings. Are there any of those where we’ve asked you about it, and then you’ve gone away and looked at it and found we’re happy that there was no violation?


MR MILLER: I just can’t give you that kind of specificity from here.


Said, go ahead. I’ll come to you next.


QUESTION: This particular area – you called on me? You called on me, right?


MR MILLER: Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. Sorry.


QUESTION: Yeah, sorry, I thought – yeah, okay.


MR MILLER: I’ve never known you to be shy, Said. (Laughter.)


QUESTION: Well, from time to time, you know.


MR MILLER: I don’t believe that. (Laughter.) Go ahead.


QUESTION: So – it’s with old age. Anyway, so this area, Nuseirat, was an area that the Israelis even did not ask people to evacuate. I mean, this is really refugees. They killed 64 people; we won’t know how many was killed. I mean, what possible advantage – and I wanted to ask you, because you – the other day, you said that maybe Sinwar prefers the safety of the tunnels, the comfort of the tunnel, to coming out and so on. So why would Hamas militants – what possible tactical advantage or strategic advantage for them to be in the school? Isn’t that just like a red herring, something that the Israelis can use time and time and time again as a cover to continue to kill people. I mean, considering that 130 civilians were killed in the preceding 24 hours.


MR MILLER: So the advantage to Hamas – and it is a sickening advantage to them – is that they think they can hide behind civilians and prevent from being struck. And there have been times, I can tell you – hold on. There have been times that we know that Israel has passed on taking strikes because there were Hamas militants who were embedded directly with civilians, and they made the decision that they could not take a strike against a militant without causing disproportionate civilian harm. So that has happened, and there are militants who were not – there were strikes that they did not take because of that reason.


Now with respect to this one, we need to know exactly what happened. As I said, and as you just pointed out, there are conflicting accounts about what exactly happened here, and that’s why we need to get to the bottom of it.


QUESTION: We are no military experts, at least I speak about myself, but one knows from reading so much and so on, I mean the safety of the rubble area, the safety of the destroyed cities and buildings and so on, that becomes a concrete jungle – it’s a lot safer for these fighters. There would be no incentive whatsoever for them to go and be among their families and so on, because the food is probably better in the tunnels or in these places; the safety is a lot better. Why would they do it? Or just anything that Israel can say —


MR MILLER: So number one, I just think I established exactly why they would do it. Number two, I just don’t think as a factual matter it’s actually in dispute that they have done it and they continue to do it.


QUESTION: Yeah.


MR MIILLER: We have seen clear, convincing evidence – some of that evidence has been made public – of them hiding in civilian targets going back before October 7th, and that it’s continued to be one of their primary tactics since October 7th.


QUESTION: I tell you what —


MR MIILLER: And I should say, launching – in addition to hiding, launching attacks, launching mortar attacks and launching other attacks from inside civilian infrastructure.


QUESTION: But not from these – not from these areas. I mean, they want to launch attacks where the Israeli military is actually present and so on, not likely – and then (inaudible) where they could be bombed from the air and so on. I mean, this thing that we keep hearing about – human shields and so on – I just wanted to remind you that this is basically an Israeli thing to the point where the Israeli supreme court told them: you could not do it – you could not use Palestinian kids as human shields to (inaudible) and walk into the cities and so on. And in fact, they continued to do it.


So what possible – I mean, Israel has no credibility whatsoever to believe what they say that there are Hamas fighters that are hiding there. We have not seen any evidence. They have not shown us any —


MR MIILLER: So – so —


QUESTION: – of these people that were killed.


MR MIILLER: So what I just said is Israel said to us they are going to release the names of militants that they have killed. If that’s true, if they do it, the entire world will be able to see that and judge. But I’m going to wait until we see what happens.


QUESTION: Can I ask you a couple more questions, if I may?


MR MIILLER: Yeah.


QUESTION: And – on – yesterday there was the march into Jerusalem, the Old City and so on. And the marchers just beat the heck out of a Palestinian journalist and so on. And Palestinian journalists seem to be at the tail end of recognizing, whether in Gaza or in the West Bank and so on. Is there any particular reason for that?


MR MIILLER: So we have seen the videos of this incident, seen the photos of this incident, and we strongly condemn them. Journalists and media workers are essential to democracy. They should not be attacked anywhere in the world, including in Israel, for doing their jobs. We expect Israel to uphold its stated commitment to human rights and press freedom. We expect them to protect journalists from these kinds of assaults. And if there are violations of criminal law, we expect people to be fully held accountable.


QUESTION: And do you expect Israel to take what you just said seriously enough to actually abide by that?


MR MIILLER: We – I’m going to make clear what the United States expectations are. But we have shown repeatedly that we are willing to have tough conversations with Israel about these matters.


Yeah, go ahead.


QUESTION: So you said you can’t say if it’s a U.S. weapon that was used in the school attack. Have you at least pressed Israel to use more strategically targeted weapons, as opposed that could explode widely? And then what is their response to that?


MR MIILLER: Yeah. We have at a number of time – a number of occasions pressed them to use the most precision weapon possible and the smallest weapon possible to achieve a legitimate military aim so you minimize the civilian – the level of civilian harm. That’s been something we’ve pressed them really from the outset of this conflict.


QUESTION: And so what is their response these past two attacks that have used what they say are precision weapons but have been very destructive?


MR MIILLER: So their claim is that they are using precision weapons and that they are using the smallest weapon possible to achieve the target. That said, we have obviously seen the reports of civilian harm. Obviously, in the incident several weeks ago, you saw a catastrophic consequence when it seemed that the result of the weapon they used was a subsequent fire, a subsequent explosion of some sort, that caused tremendous civilian death. And so they need to investigate exactly how that happened. They have an ongoing review of that. As far as I’m aware. It’s not been concluded yet. I know we haven’t been briefed on any review yet. And with respect to this one, we – as I said, we need to see what the facts are, and we expect them to make those facts public and be completely transparent about it.


QUESTION: And they are reviewing this one as well? Have you heard that?


MR MIILLER: I don’t know if it’s an official review. They have said to us that they are going to release information about – that shows what happened, what the strike – what the result of the strike was and who it was that was killed in the strike. I don’t believe they’ve announced an official review yet, but if they – if there – if it is shown – if there are shown to be civilian deaths, as the reports on the – from the ground appear to show, then we would fully expect them to review that, consistent with their code of conduct.


Shaun, go ahead.


QUESTION: Can I just follow up? Just —


MR MILLER: Yeah.


QUESTION: You’ve said repeatedly “transparent,” that you’re looking for – for the Israelis to be transparent. I mean, the Israelis are basically saying that militants were killed. So I mean, do you expect them to investigate beyond that to see whether children were killed, civilians were killed? And is there a track record of Israel actually investigating that on the ground?


MR MIILLER: So two things. One, with regard to transparency, they have said that they will release the names of those who were killed.


QUESTION: The names of the militants or the names —


MR MIILLER: That is what they have said, and we’re going to watch and see what they do. If we think any further investigation is warranted after we see the results of what they announce first, we won’t hesitate to call on that, as we have in the past. There are incidents that they have reviewed in the past, and as we’ve said, they have a number of incidents where they have conducted reviews. And those have led to criminal referrals, and they have full-blown criminal investigations. But there are also incidents – and those are not public – but there are other incidents where they have announced – they have conducted reviews and announced the results publicly.


So with the World Central Kitchen strike, for example, they announced the results of the review. They made clear what, from their perspective, had gone wrong and why that strike had happened in the way it did. And they announced disciplinary actions, including firing, against a number of military officials.


QUESTION: And just to put a point on that, I mean, do you think it’s – are you basically calling on Israel also to identify those who were killed who were potentially noncombatants, who were children? Do you expect Israel to do that?


MR MIILLER: So we want to – so I don’t know if they have any ability to do that, right, if they’re not there on the ground. But we want to know exactly what happened, and we’re willing to look at all sorts of information to determine that.


QUESTION: I’m sorry if you covered this before, but I mean, is – how are you going to know if the list of names that they release is accurate?


MR MIILLER: So we will – I don’t want to prejudge – it’s – it is —


QUESTION: I mean, I could make up a bunch of names right now and tell you —


MR MIILLER: It is – it is a good question.


QUESTION: But that doesn’t – that doesn’t necessarily mean that those were actually the people who were killed or that they were militants.


MR MILLER: Yeah, it is a good question. We’ll wait and see what it is they release and if they show – if they release any information to back that up. It could be that they – well, I don’t want to speculate to what they could release to back that up. But we will wait and see what it looks like.


QUESTION: Okay. All right. But if it turns out that they named these people and they are confirmed to have been militants and you are able to – or there’s some kind of confirmation that they are in fact the ones who were hit, is that enough for you even if they don’t go into any civilian —


MR MILLER: So we also want to see – no —


QUESTION: Whether they’re identified by the Israelis or not, it’s clear that there were.


MR MILLER: We – well, we also want to see the – see the civilian harm and look at what exactly happened and to have a full understanding of that. We’ve seen —


QUESTION: Have the Israelis —


MR MILLER: We’ve seen the initial reports, but we want to fully understand it, and then the Israelis should want to fully understand that, too. They have said that they want to minimize civilian harm. We have impressed upon them the importance of that, so they should want to know that information, too.


QUESTION: Right, but – and I apologize because maybe I missed this while I ran out, but did they say that they would go into details on any civilians who were killed?


MR MILLER: They have made clear initially what – that they would release information about it. I don’t have the full details about what they would say, but we —


QUESTION: Well, that’s actually – but as far as what you understand, they’ve said that they will —


MR MILLER: They are —


QUESTION: — release the names of the militants —


MR MILLER: And other details. I don’t know what those details will include because they haven’t – they haven’t done that yet. So.


Yeah, go ahead.


QUESTION: Thank you. I just wanted to follow up on what Simon was asking about the State Department’s own internal assessments after the NSM had concluded. The Secretary said in one of his Hill testimonies a few weeks ago – I think it was Senate Appropriations – he was asked about State’s own internal assessments about Israel’s actions, and he was also asked if the State Department has the kind of resources that it needs to meet the objective of carrying out its own internal assessments.


And the Secretary – sorry if my notes are a little bit rough here, but he had said it’s a good – it’s a very good question and it’s something we’re looking at very hard and that we – it’s something that in order to do it in real time, the answer is probably no. And it’s an incredibly labor-intensive process. He indicated that the State Department doesn’t have the resources it needs to get this done quickly or efficiently. Can you just clarify if that’s the case? Because Simon was asking about when we might get some kind of conclusions on some of these cases.


MR MILLER: It is – yeah, it is the case it is difficult to review the sheer number of incidents in real time and provide with – definitive answers on all of them in any kind of compressed timeframe. It is one of the challenges we face. If you just look at the sheer number of casualties in the war in Gaza, and of course the sheer number of civilian casualties, there are a number of specific incidents that we have felt obligated to look at. And certainly we would welcome additional resources, that we haven’t made an official request to Congress yet. It’s something that that is the type of thing we go through in our usual budgeting process. But certainly we would welcome more resources to look at these issues.


QUESTION: Can I just ask one of the northern front? There’s reports that the Biden administration had – has cautioned Israel in recent weeks to keep the war with Lebanon or any escalation limited and also warned about Iran intervening. Can you comment on that?


MR MILLER: So I’m not going to speak to private diplomatic conversations, but, as I’ve said earlier in the week, we have been clear with the Government of Israel since the immediate aftermath of October 7th that one of our top priorities as – in this conflict was to see it not expand any further than it already has, and that remains the case. And that remains the subject of our diplomatic conversations not just with Israel but with other countries in the region. I will say that we continue to see Hizballah taking strikes across the border, including incredibly destructive strikes, and Israel of course has the right to defend itself when hit by a terrorist organization, but we remain concerned about the risk of escalation and the risk that any type of escalation could further widen and broaden this conflict and get us back into the place where we were earlier in this conflict, when you saw strikes in Iraq that we have worked to try to mitigate and try to prevent from occurring. So that remains a top priority for the United States.


Yeah. Tom.


QUESTION: Can I – I just wanted to clarify on this issue of the names, because I don’t remember you – I don’t recall you having done this before you – where you’ve called for them to release names after an airstrike. I mean, given your close security relationship, are you – they often do release names later on, but were you given any names that they were targeting? Have you been given privately any names that they were targeting in this specific airstrike and, if not, is that why you’re calling for them to do so?


MR MILLER: No, not yet. Just to make it clear, they have said that they were going to release the names of the 20 to 30 militant – they told us there were 20 to 30 militants they were targeting. They’re going to release the names of those. They believed that they’ve killed those militants. I think they want to show that they were actually killing militants, not civilians. That doesn’t, obviously, obviate the chance that they might have – there might have also been civilians that were killed in this strike. So – so I —


QUESTION: But your list – their list of 20 to 30 names basically —


MR MILLER: That is what they have said they would provide. We expect them to do that as well as any other details that would shed light on this incident.


QUESTION: So – but they volunteered that. You’re not calling for it, are you?


MR MILLER: We have called for it to be released publicly and as well as any other information that would —


QUESTION: Before they said that they would do it you asked them to?


MR MILLER: We went to them and asked for more – so what happened – let’s be clear. This is what I said in response to the first questions. We went to them earlier today and asked for information about this strike.


QUESTION: Not necessarily the names.


MR MILLER: No, we just asked for more information about what happened. They came back to us and said we were targeting 20 to 30 militants who were housed in one specific part of this ability. We had been – or of this building. We had been watching it for several days. We had been waiting for a moment when we could target just those 20 to 30 militants without harming civilians and we found the ability to do so. And that’s why we took this strike. They were going to – they said to us we will release the names of those 20 to 30 militants as well as other information. We said we think that’s appropriate for you to do it. There ought to be full transparency, which is what we have called for in other cases. Now, let me make also clear I can’t validate any of this information on my own. This is what they have told us. We think they should make public any further details.


QUESTION: So you’re looking for a list of 20 to 30 names to be released of combatants – militants to be released publicly?


MR MILLER: I’m looking for all the things I just outlined.


QUESTION: And if they’re – and if that doesn’t – if you don’t have a list of 30 names?


MR MILLER: Let me just – as always, I don’t want to deal with ifs and ifs. This is what they have said they would do. It’s what we think is appropriate. We think they should make any other details that are relevant public as well, it should be full transparency about this. If further steps are necessary after that, we won’t hesitate to call for them.


QUESTION: If – sorry, sorry, but just —


QUESTION: Sorry, Matt, but —


QUESTION: Sorry, “if further steps are necessary,” meaning —


MR MILLER: Any further – if there – it needs to be a further review, then we will call for that. If we need to look at it ourselves, we will do that.


QUESTION: All right. Did you want to – because I – there was just one other issue I wanted to ask about.


QUESTION: Yeah, no, I wanted to – just to follow-up on what you said, you and Matt, actually. COGAT has the names of every Palestinian born in Gaza. They do have a list of everyone. So, I mean, are we going to see names of, let’s say, commanders, recognizable commanders, or any Mahmoud, Ahmed, Yousef, Daoud?


MR MILLER: Said —


QUESTION: Anybody could be —


MR MILLER: I don’t know and you don’t know. No one in this room knows. The Israeli Government is going to release those names and we’ll look at – and see what they do.


QUESTION: And I’ll just come back on something else.


MR MILLER: Go ahead. Yeah.


QUESTION: Do you have any update on how the policy towards a revitalized Palestinian Authority is progressing?


MR MILLER: We have seen the Palestinian Authority take some steps, some initial reform steps. They appointed a new prime minister. That prime minister has announced a number of reforms he intends to put in place. We’re watching that very closely. We also realize that there are challenges that they face with funding that makes it difficult to carry out some of the reforms that they want to execute. It’s one of the reasons why we have been pressing Israel to release the clearance revenues that they have been withholding from the Palestinian Authority, because if you want to see a revised – revitalized Palestinian Authority, it needs to have the money to undertake these reforms. It’s why we have been pressing them not to take the devastating actions around correspondent banking that they have said they might pursue at the end of this month. So it’s something that we are continuing to engage with directly with the Palestinian Authority and with our Arab partners in the region who share this goal of ours.


QUESTION: I mean, some of that might sound a bit like understatement. I was chatting to a PA official earlier today. He talked about the financial situation is unprecedented.


MR MILLER: Yeah.


QUESTION: PA finances are on the brink of collapse. If nothing changes in a few weeks next month, there is no extra income. There will be no ability to pay public wages. So they’re paying 50 percent already to tens of thousands of teachers, doctors, nurses, security forces, crucially. And they’re talking about weeks to potential collapse. So how concerned are you?


MR MILLER: We are very concerned about it and we have made clear to the Government of Israel in some very direct conversations that there is nothing that could be more counter to the strategic interests of Israel than the collapse of the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian Authority – for all of its challenges, for all the need to pursue additional reforms inside the Palestinian Authority – the Palestinian Authority has worked to maintain stability in the West Bank.


And if you look at the strategic situation that Israel faces right now, where they continue to fight a war in Gaza; they are seeing increased strikes along their northern border and the risk of further confrontation there; if you saw the Palestinian Authority collapse and instability spread across the West Bank, it’s not just a problem for the Palestinians, although that obviously – it obviously is a massive problem for the Palestinians and that alone ought to be reason for Israel to reverse this decision – it is also a massive security threat for the state of Israel.


And so we have made clear to them that allowing the Palestinian Authority to receive the full revenue to which it is entitled – this is Palestinian money, not Israeli money – is not just the right thing to do, but it is also in Israel’s security interest, Israel’s strategic interest.


QUESTION: That sounds like a nice way of trying to persuade them. But I’m interested in the issue of American power here, because your key partner, your ally, and the key figure in that government – the finance minister – is somebody who has an ideological background of he’s an expulsionist; he wants to get rid of Palestinians from the West Bank, history of making racist, anti-Arab statements. And so when he is the key figure that appears to be holding back all those revenues – and I think it stands at $1.6 billion —


MR MILLER: Yeah.


QUESTION: — I mean, surely as the United States, the key ally of Israel, its key military backer, you can change that situation.


MR MILLER: We continue to have, as I said, very direct conversations with the Government of Israel about the dire consequences this would have for Israel – or for the Palestinian people and for Israel’s own security situation.


QUESTION: But do you see something like that —


MR MILLER: There are other – let me just – let me just finish. There are other partners in the region who are having those same conversations with the Government of Israel. We are not yet at the point where they have run out of money, so we continue to work on it, and I think I’ll leave it at that for now.


QUESTION: But do you see someone like that as a legitimate voice in this issue, who has a very key role in that in —


MR MILLER: So we have made quite clear on a number of occasions that we disagree with the statements that particular minister has made.


QUESTION: It’s not just statements. It’s actually – I mean, this is —


MR MILLER: Well, this – Tom, just let me finish. I was about to say that. We have made quite clear on a number of occasions that we disagree with the statements that particular minister has made and the actions that that particular minister has taken. And we will continue to do that and we will continue to work to try to see them reversed, because ultimately these are actions that are not in the interest of Israel. As I said, not in the interest of the Palestinian people, but they are self-defeating for the state of Israel and its long-term security, and we hope that wiser heads will prevail inside the Israeli Government.


QUESTION: But just finally, because I know you want to move on, but I think people might find it very puzzling that you have the leverage of $3.8 billion of defense supplied to the Israelis per year, and you cannot compel this situation to change, given the ideological background of —


MR MILLER: So —


QUESTION: — a figure like this in an absolutely key role in your key partner and ally in the region.


MR MILLER: We have had this conversation a number of times on a number of different issues, and it remains the case that Israel is a sovereign state that makes its own decisions. Yes, we supply them with security assistance. Every country in the world that we provide security assistance to ultimately is a sovereign state that is going to make their own decisions. Now, we can go in and have very direct conversations with them, and we do and will continue to, but ultimately not only do they make their own decisions, but they are responsible for those decisions and they’re responsible for the consequences of them.


QUESTION: Just – it’s related to —


MR MILLER: Go back – yeah, go back and then I’ll —


QUESTION: — Palestinian Authority reform. I would imagine you’ve seen that there’s also been another report about a shouting match that happened between the Emirati foreign minister and a senior advisor to the Palestinian Authority where the UAE foreign minister called the Palestinian advisor Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. This was in relation to him accusing the Palestinian Authority of being corrupt, reforms not being effective. Can you give us an update on how it’s going or not going well with other Arab —


MR MILLER: So —


QUESTION: — Arab nations in terms of, like, supporting the Palestinian Authority, the new leadership reforms and —


MR MILLER: So we continue to engage in conversations with our Arab partners about not just reforms to the Palestinian Authority, but the broad sweep of post-conflict issues that we need to work on. And there are differences among different countries in that group, and sometimes those differences are minor and sometimes those differences are major, and what we do is try to work to bridge all of them and come up with compromise proposals that the – that everyone can get behind.


Now, none of this is easy, right? This is – there is a reason why this dispute has been going on for decades because there are very tough, thorny issues involved here, and probably no more – no more so than now, where we are prevented – presented with a host of very difficult issues that we have to resolve. But we continue to pursue diplomacy, and the Secretary continues to engage in conversations with those Arab partners about trying to bridge those differences.


QUESTION: Do you feel at all confident that an Arab nation might step up and help at all with the financial issues of the PA? Is that —


MR MILLER: That’s not something for me to speak to. I would leave it to those countries to answer.


QUESTION: Change of subject?


MR MILLER: Go ahead. Yeah.


QUESTION: China has protested to India that exchange of greetings between Prime Minister Modi and President Lai from Taiwan. Following this there have been several state and nonstate actors going on social media and saying that India has to – India would have a price to pay. What do you say about the coercive and threatening behavior coming out of China on the issue?


MR MILLER: So I haven’t seen those specific reports, so I don’t want to comment on them in detail. But I would say that such congratulatory messages are the normal course of diplomatic business.


QUESTION: Follow-up?


MR MILLER: Go ahead, Alex.


QUESTION: Matt, a couple F-16-related questions. Yesterday you guys put out – the PMA Bureau put out a post saying that, yes, Türkiye purchased the fighter jets. Have you guys already signed the letter of acceptance, or there’s a ambiguity there? Can you please clarify?


MR MILLER: It was Türkiye that signed a letter of offer and acceptance to purchase the F-16s. The sale is an investment in NATO interoperability and will support the national security interests of the United States, Türkiye, and the NATO Alliance. You may remember that getting this particular sale over the finish line was – took some time, and we’re glad to see it moving forward.


QUESTION: Thank you. And Ukraine seemed to be unhappy about some of the delays involving F-16 training. There was a Politico report about that yesterday. They believe that this doesn’t match with amount of jets that they might take and – to operate. Why there’s a delay?


MR MILLER: So I won’t speak to those specifics; I’m not familiar with them. Training is not something that we conduct out of the State Department, obviously. That’s something that happens in the Pentagon, so I would refer you to them to speak to any specifics with regard to that. But I can say that speaking generally, training Ukrainian pilots has been a major priority of us, something that we’ve worked hard on and worked to ensure our Allies in NATO can do as well. And that – those – that training is ongoing.


QUESTION: Thank you. And final one from me. As I understand, Special Advisor Bono just returned back from the region, and he spent two weeks in Azerbaijan and Armenia. Any progress, any readout?


MR MILLER: I don’t have any update on his travel. I would direct you to his office for anything specific on his travel.


QUESTION: Thanks.


MR MILLER: Go ahead.


QUESTION: Yeah. Thank you, Matt. Going back to the risk of escalation in conflict in the Middle East, today the Islamic resistance in Iraq said in a statement they carried out two joint military operation with Houthis on Israel’s Haifa port.


MR MILLER: Can you – ask it again. Just speak up a little bit. Sorry. Yeah.


QUESTION: Yeah, okay.


MR MILLER: Maybe the microphone is poorly placed in your part of the room.


QUESTION: Sure, I’ll repeat the question. Yeah, today the Islamic resistance in Iraq said in a statement they carried out to joint attacks with Houthis against the Israeli Haifa port. And I think this is the first time that the Islamic resistance in Iraq, that they are cooperating with the Houthis to attack the Israels. How do you see these developments, especially cooperation between Iraqi militia groups backed by Iran and the Houthis?


MR MILLER: So we have long made clear that we oppose any attacks by the various militia groups, Iranian-sponsored militia groups, against the Government of Israel, and that we are prepared to help Israel defend itself against those attacks. Obviously any kind of cooperation between them is something that would be incredibly concerning and that we would work to mitigate.


QUESTION: And this may trigger retaliation attack by Israel, and you said earlier that when there were attacks on the U.S. forces in Iraq, you worked to try to mitigate these threats from occurring. Have you reached the Iraqi Government to rein in these groups, do not attack Israeli from 100 miles away from —


MR MILLER: So without speaking to any specific conversations regarding these attacks, it has been our general policy to press the Iraqi Government to prevent attacks being launched on their soil, either against the Government of Israel or against United States interests or United States troops in the region.


QUESTION: And lastly, my last question, this week the Iraqi parliament passed the budget law which provided more than 4 trillion and 556 billion Iraqi dinar, which equivalent to 3.5 billion U.S. dollars to PMF, Iranian-backed groups, and including those groups who were attacking the U.S. troops in Iraq. So do you concern about that the future security of Iraq and this – the future security of the region when these groups are getting funding by Iraqi Government?


MR MILLER: We do remain concerned that individuals within the PMF are not responsive to the Iraqi commander in chief and engage in violent and destabilizing activities in Iraq and Syria. Attacks against U.S. and coalition service members as well as Iraqi’s security service members and businesses undermine Iraq’s security and economy. And we continue to urge the Iraqi Government to rein in these individuals and hold them accountable for breaking Iraqi law.


Shaun.


QUESTION: Other violence in the region, in the Middle East, in the general region. Sudan – there was an attack in Al Gezirah state in which it’s been reported that over a hundred people were killed. The RSF was blamed for this. Do you have any update both on actions on the RSF and on the army, and any potential resumption of talks in Jeddah?


MR MILLER: So the only thing I’ll say is that we continue to engage in diplomacy to try to end the war, mitigate the humanitarian crisis. You may have seen that the Secretary spoke to the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia about this earlier this week. He spoke to General Burhan last week about this very thing. And what we have continued to urge is a return to talks between the SAF and the RSF to try to reach a ceasefire, and that remains what we’re focused on.


QUESTION: Is there any progress on that? I mean, it’s —


MR MILLER: I don’t have any updates to offer from here.


QUESTION: Matt?


MR MILLER: Go ahead.


QUESTION: On the Lions’ Den sanctions, roughly how many people are you – are going to be impacted by that?


MR MILLER: We – it is – they are not people; it is an entity. I don’t know how many people are members of the – that entity, but this is a sanction against an entity, not individuals.


QUESTION: So do you think they have a lot of assets in the U.S. to seize?


MR MILLER: So usually the question is not – it’s not just one of seizing assets. When we impose these kinds of sanctions – under this new executive order and that we’ve imposed several already – it prohibits people from doing any business with U.S. persons, U.S. entities, or accessing the U.S. financial system. So it’s not just about seizing assets, though clearly that is part of the potential accountability measures, but it is to prevent them from taking any transactions that could run through the U.S. financial system. And I know you’ve probably looked at these before, and there are a great deal of transactions around the world that do interact with our financial system in one way or the other.


Yeah.


QUESTION: My question is about your favorite subject.


QUESTION: Related to the Lions’ —


MR MILLER: Go ahead.


QUESTION: Can I just ask one on the Lions’ Den? Sorry.


MR MILLER: Yeah.


QUESTION: That some, like, groups like FTD (ph) have been saying that this group is not active anymore since last summer, that it’s unlikely that the group will resurge, that basically these sanctions have come too late. Do you have a comment on that?


MR MILLER: So the sanctions included – the sanctions that we imposed included – were based on not just activities that this group took in 2022 but also that they took just earlier this year. So no, I would not agree with that.


Go ahead.


QUESTION: Thank you very much. On Wednesday, China, Russia, and Iran issued a joint statement on the Iranian nuclear deal, calling on Western countries to step up their actions and restore the agreement. Do you have any reaction to this statement?


MR MILLER: I don’t have a specific reaction to that statement, but we continue to have grave concerns about the – about Iran’s nuclear program, as we made clear at the IAEA just yesterday in voting for a resolution. We continue – we’ve seen the regime continue to amass a growing stockpile of highly enriched uranium for which it is – for which there is no credible civilian purpose, and we look forward to working with our allies and partners on a broad, comprehensive strategy aimed at achieving a sustainable solution that includes Iran’s full cooperation with the IAEA.


Yeah.


QUESTION: And one more question on Georgia, on the sanctions. Can you please clarify what gives the United States the right to basically dictate to the Georgian parliament what laws it should pass, what laws it should not pass? Can you imagine Georgia telling the U.S. Congress what laws it should pass, what laws it should not pass?


MR MILLER: So we are not dictating in any way to the Government of Georgia what laws it should pass, and in fact, if you look at where this law was inspired, I think it was from another country that has passed its own version of this law. It’s Russia that passed this version of law and clearly – and clearly was the model for the law that Georgia has passed. So the basis of our action is we have seen Georgia crack down on its own people, crack down on democratic dissent, and take these actions that reverse the steps that it has been on towards the EU and towards further integration with the West.


Now, Georgia can make its own decisions about how it wants to move forward. We can make our own decisions about how we want to move forward. But we are not going to continue to allow people to come into the United States, we are not going to continue to support – well, I should say we will continue to review the financial assistance that we give to Georgia, and that all is potentially at jeopardy if Georgia is not pursuing policies that are in line with the interests and values we have seen it express here to date.


Go ahead.


QUESTION: Thanks, Matthew.


MR MILLER: Then we’ll – then Ryan, and then we’ll wrap.


QUESTION: Were Prime Minister Netanyahu to come to the U.S., would Secretary Blinken meet with him?


MR MILLER: So I heard an “if” at the beginning of that question. I don’t use —


QUESTION: No, no, no.


QUESTION: Well, as expected. As expected.


QUESTION: No, he didn’t say “if.”


MR MILLER: He said if he – he said —


QUESTION: He said “were.”


MR MILLER: “Were.” (Laughter.) Fair.


QUESTION: He said were Prime Minister Netanyahu to come to the United States.


QUESTION: Yeah.


MR MILLER: It is another – it is a —


QUESTION: He did not use the “if.”


MR MILLER: It is another entry into a hypothetical —


QUESTION: No, back me up, Matt.


MR MILLER: — into a hypothetical question that I typically decline to answer. He has not announced a visit, and certainly I’m not going to announce meetings for visits that are not yet on the books.


QUESTION: Okay. And what’s the administration’s reaction to China not participating in the Ukraine peace summit?


MR MILLER: So we certainly would encourage China to participate in that summit. They have attended previous versions of the summit. We thought that was – that their presence was helpful. We think their presence would be helpful here, but I actually think there are other actions that China could take that would be even more helpful, and that would be cracking down on the companies that continue to help reconstitute Russia’s defense industrial base.


QUESTION: And finally, what does the 80th anniversary of D-Day mean for today’s global challenges?


MR MILLER: So you heard the President speak to this earlier. You saw this – may have seen the Secretary speak to this in a couple of TV interviews he did. When you look at the alliance that the United States was part of in D-Day to stand up to tyranny and help push back tyranny when tyranny was on the march across Europe, it is an inspiration for some of the same challenges that we face today, and it is a reminder that we are stronger when we work in concert with allied nations that share our values, that support democracy, and work to – and push back against those forces who oppose it.


QUESTION: Thank you.


MR MILLER: Ryan.


QUESTION: Thanks, Matt. So the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations has said that Israel is now going to oppose the resolution that the United States is putting forward to push forward the Israeli ceasefire plan. Did that come as a surprise to the United States? And does that undermine the U.S. effort to get Hamas to agree to this deal if Israel is saying that it’s going to vote against its own deal at the UN?


MR MILLER: So we have been talking with a number of governments, including the Government of Israel, about the direction of this resolution and what it ought to look like. Those conversations continue. We do think it is important that the United Nations Security Council speak with one voice on this. We have this rare opportunity where we have a chance to reach an immediate ceasefire that ultimately could lead to an end to this war, and so we want to see the Security Council act. We want to see it act as soon as possible. Now, the way this process works is that you often have to engage in diplomacy with members of the Security Council and sometimes with members off the Security Council to help get a resolution like this over the line. That’s what we continue to do.


Quick – go ahead.


QUESTION: Matt, I’ve got three really, really brief ones that you’ll probably be able to answer in several words.


MR MILLER: Yeah.


QUESTION: One, just on that last question, I was under the impression this was a Security Council resolution.


MR MILLER: It is.


QUESTION: It’s not a General Assembly resolution.


MR MILLER: Correct. And Israel – I know the —


QUESTION: Which means that Israel does not get to vote.


MR MILLER: Correct.


QUESTION: They don’t have a vote.


MR MILLER: Correct.


QUESTION: So why – I’m not sure why did you answer the question the way you did.


MR MILLER: Because we are talking to Israel about this resolution.


QUESTION: No, I understand that, but I mean —


MR MILLER: We’re talking to other members off the Security Council about it as well.


QUESTION: But they don’t get a vote because they’re not in the council.


MR MILLER: Correct.


QUESTION: Okay. Secondly, do you have anything new on the Beirut – and sorry if you did this while I was out – on the Beirut embassy incident yesterday?


MR MILLER: I don’t. I don’t have an update on the investigation that the Lebanese authorities are conducting.


QUESTION: All right. And then the very last thing: Yesterday you said that the amount of aid, assistance given to Georgia – I think you said over the last couple of years – is about 390. Can you be more specific? How many years is that?


MR MILLER: It’s two. It’s two. And I can go back and – I can go back after – it’s a couple years.


QUESTION: So since Fiscal ’23?


MR MILLER: I will go back and get the specifics. My understanding is that’s the amount budgeted for the last two years to the Government of Georgia. That’s across a range of different programs, and we can get your more details on it.


QUESTION: Okay. But it’s two years?


MR MILLER: Two years, correct.


QUESTION: Okay, great. Thank you.


MR MILLER: If you finished – yeah, one more, and then we’ll go.


QUESTION: Just real quick on the Human Rights Watch report on white phosphorous. We’ve seen tons of reports now about the use of white phosphorous by the IDF – 17 municipalities across southern Lebanon since October according to HRW. So does the U.S. have any policy that it – with regard to the use of white phosphorous?


MR MILLER: So —


QUESTION: Putting – setting aside whether or not these individual incidents occurred.


MR MILLER: Yeah, yeah. So white phosphorous is something that’s commonly used in military operations to produce smoke to obscure ground forces, mark locations, or provide illumination, and just the usage by itself is not something that’s prohibited under international humanitarian law. But, as with any type of military operation, civilians can’t be targeted. If white phosphorous is used, precautions have to be taken to minimize harm to civilians, and it’s incumbent on countries to use white phosphorous in ways that are consistent with international humanitarian law.


QUESTION: Are these incidents concerning, that Human Rights Watch is saying that they were outside the bounds of what you just described?


MR MILLER: So I’ve seen the reports, but that is the type of thing that we’d have to take a look at and assess before commenting in detail.


With that, we’ll wrap for today. Thanks.


(The briefing was concluded at 2:31 p.m.)


# # #
Hamas fighters ↑



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United States Announces Significant New Military Assistance for Ukraine
06/07/2024

United States Announces Significant New Military Assistance for Ukraine
06/07/2024 09:12 AM EDT

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

As President Biden announced today in France, the United States is sending Ukraine a significant new package of urgently needed weapons and equipment to support the Ukrainian military as it fights to repel Russia’s assault near Kharkiv. This $225 million package, which includes air defense interceptors, artillery systems and munitions, armored vehicles, anti-tank weapons, and other capabilities, will also help strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses and reinforce Ukrainian capabilities across the front lines.

This is the sixth security assistance package the President has authorized to help Ukraine since signing the national security supplemental. We will move this new assistance as quickly as possible to bolster Ukraine’s defense of its territory and its people. As President Biden has made clear, the United States and the international coalition we have assembled will continue to stand with Ukraine.



United States Announces Significant New Military Assistance for Ukraine
06/07/2024

United States Announces Significant New Military Assistance for Ukraine
06/07/2024 09:12 AM EDT

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

As President Biden announced today in France, the United States is sending Ukraine a significant new package of urgently needed weapons and equipment to support the Ukrainian military as it fights to repel Russia’s assault near Kharkiv. This $225 million package, which includes air defense interceptors, artillery systems and munitions, armored vehicles, anti-tank weapons, and other capabilities, will also help strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses and reinforce Ukrainian capabilities across the front lines.

This is the sixth security assistance package the President has authorized to help Ukraine since signing the national security supplemental. We will move this new assistance as quickly as possible to bolster Ukraine’s defense of its territory and its people. As President Biden has made clear, the United States and the international coalition we have assembled will continue to stand with Ukraine.




United States Announces Significant New Military Assistance for Ukraine
06/07/2024

United States Announces Significant New Military Assistance for Ukraine
06/07/2024 09:12 AM EDT

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

As President Biden announced today in France, the United States is sending Ukraine a significant new package of urgently needed weapons and equipment to support the Ukrainian military as it fights to repel Russia’s assault near Kharkiv. This $225 million package, which includes air defense interceptors, artillery systems and munitions, armored vehicles, anti-tank weapons, and other capabilities, will also help strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses and reinforce Ukrainian capabilities across the front lines.

This is the sixth security assistance package the President has authorized to help Ukraine since signing the national security supplemental. We will move this new assistance as quickly as possible to bolster Ukraine’s defense of its territory and its people. As President Biden has made clear, the United States and the international coalition we have assembled will continue to stand with Ukraine.




U.S.-EU Consultations Demonstrate Continued Commitment to Human Rights
06/07/2024

U.S.-EU Consultations Demonstrate Continued Commitment to Human Rights
06/07/2024 09:26 AM EDT

Office of the Spokesperson
HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…U.S.-EU Consultations Demonstrate Continued Commitment to Human Rights
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U.S.-EU Consultations Demonstrate Continued Commitment to Human Rights


Media Note





June 7, 2024



Today in Washington, Senior Bureau Official for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Robert Gilchrist and EU Special Representative for Human Rights Olof Skoog co-chaired the 2024 U.S.-EU Human Rights Consultations. The United States and EU reiterated their unwavering commitment to the transatlantic partnership and its importance to upholding and advancing human rights, democracy, and the rule of law globally.


The consultations covered a broad range of thematic issues including the protection of human rights defenders, efforts to counter transnational repression, technology and human rights, advancing gender equality and women’s rights, the rights of persons with disabilities, the rights of LGBTQI+ persons, and the importance of condemning and eliminating racism, discrimination, xenophobia, and other forms of hatred. The discussions also covered human rights issues and developments in Europe and the United States, the human rights situation in several third countries, across all regions, and U.S.-EU cooperation in multilateral fora, including at the United Nations.


The United States and EU agreed to continue to strengthen their cooperation to promote and protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law worldwide. For media inquiries, please contact DRL-Press@state.gov.



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Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs European Union Human Rights and Democracy LGBT Rights Office of the Spokesperson


U.S.-EU Consultations Demonstrate Continued Commitment to Human Rights
06/07/2024

U.S.-EU Consultations Demonstrate Continued Commitment to Human Rights
06/07/2024 09:26 AM EDT

Office of the Spokesperson
HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…U.S.-EU Consultations Demonstrate Continued Commitment to Human Rights
hide

U.S.-EU Consultations Demonstrate Continued Commitment to Human Rights


Media Note
June 7, 2024

Today in Washington, Senior Bureau Official for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Robert Gilchrist and EU Special Representative for Human Rights Olof Skoog co-chaired the 2024 U.S.-EU Human Rights Consultations. The United States and EU reiterated their unwavering commitment to the transatlantic partnership and its importance to upholding and advancing human rights, democracy, and the rule of law globally.


The consultations covered a broad range of thematic issues including the protection of human rights defenders, efforts to counter transnational repression, technology and human rights, advancing gender equality and women’s rights, the rights of persons with disabilities, the rights of LGBTQI+ persons, and the importance of condemning and eliminating racism, discrimination, xenophobia, and other forms of hatred. The discussions also covered human rights issues and developments in Europe and the United States, the human rights situation in several third countries, across all regions, and U.S.-EU cooperation in multilateral fora, including at the United Nations.


The United States and EU agreed to continue to strengthen their cooperation to promote and protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law worldwide. For media inquiries, please contact DRL-Press@state.gov.



Tags
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs European Union Human Rights and Democracy LGBT Rights Office of the Spokesperson


Joint Statement from the Governments of the United States of America and Germany at the Inaugural U.S.—Germany Space Dialogue
06/07/2024

Joint Statement from the Governments of the United States of America and Germany at the Inaugural U.S.—Germany Space Dialogue
06/07/2024 10:59 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Germany at the inaugural U.S.-Germany Space Dialogue.

Begin Text:

Pursuant to their shared goal of advancing bilateral space cooperation as declared by their leaders, the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany held their first bilateral Space Dialogue in Berlin, Germany on June 3-4, 2024. The U.S.-Germany Space Dialogue’s purpose is to strengthen cooperation and advance bilateral exchanges in space matters.

In their welcome and keynote messages, Federal Minister Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action; Chirag Parikh, Executive Secretary of the National Space Council; Anna Christmann, German Federal Aerospace Policy Coordinator for Germany; and Rahima Kandahari, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs underscored that the inaugural Space Dialogue will deepen space cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of both countries and the world. Both delegations comprised representatives of a range of ministries and agencies involved in space activities.

At the meeting, German and U.S. officials exchanged information on respective national space policies, including Germany’s Space Strategy and upcoming Space Security Strategy as well as the U.S. Space Priorities Framework. Both sides reiterated their strong determination to expand already robust bilateral cooperation in a variety of areas, including addressing the climate crisis and sustainable and safe use of outer space; advancing national security space cooperation and information sharing; and strengthening bilateral commercial space cooperation.

The participants held extensive discussions about challenges to our shared economic and national security interests. Both sides are determined to continue their close coordination in strengthening the global governance of space activities by promoting the widest possible accession to and full compliance with the Outer Space Treaty, including not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction. Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to the development and implementation of voluntary, non-legally binding international best practices and guidelines to promote the sustainable, safe, and responsible use of outer space.

Both sides resolved to deepen the bilateral coordination on national security space policies practices, and capabilities; particularly given the growing scope of counter-space and space-enabled and related threats. They also resolved to strengthen the coordination of national security space activities with other allies and partners around the globe, including by leveraging innovative commercial space capabilities, to ensure access to critical space-based services. Both sides also confirmed their interest in working together to strengthen the security and resilience of critical space-related infrastructures and services against the full spectrum of threats.

The participants discussed ongoing cooperation in space exploration and science and opportunities to strengthen partnership in these areas. Both sides are determined to continue collaboration on scientific missions to enhance understanding of our solar system and investigate the origins of our universe, including through NASA’s Artemis missions – noting the critical importance Germany plays in developing the propulsion modules for the Orion crew spacecraft. The participants also expressed their intent to discuss further cooperation in exploration, particularly on cislunar and lunar surface activities and in Low Earth Orbit. The two sides also highlighted the agreement of NASA and DLR to continue gravity field measurements from space with the GRACE-C Mission, providing unique observations of Earth’s changing water cycle. Furthermore, this contributes to a better understanding of global climate change and helps policy makers make data-informed decisions. The importance of the GRACE-C Mission was recognized by a panel discussion preceding the space dialogue.

Both countries reviewed joint efforts to promote the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, including work in the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS), and other UN bodies and the strengthening of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). As signatories of the Artemis Accords, which reaffirm the importance of compliance with the Outer Space Treaty and other core treaties, and establish a political understanding to ensure safety of operations in and sustainable use of outer space as countries explore the Moon and beyond, both countries expressed the importance of advocating for these principles in UN bodies and other multilateral governmental fora. The two countries decided to stay in close communication on expanding commercial space ties and space situational awareness (SSA), as U.S. responsibilities for civil and commercial SSA shift in the coming years from the Department of Defense to Department of Commerce. Both sides recognized the importance of addressing space debris.

Both sides acknowledged that Earth observation is a priority area for bilateral cooperation. They discussed a range of programs that use satellites to better forecast weather patterns; support agricultural and infrastructure planning; help monitor and combat climate change and pollution; prepare for and respond to disasters; improve natural resource use; and provide vital telecommunications services. Both sides noted intent to partner on the Landsat Next Mission to advance scientific knowledge and remote sensing technologies to support socioeconomic development, environmental management, and climate resiliency worldwide. Furthermore, sharing of and facilitating access to satellite data especially in the field of climate protection, research, and resilience are seen as fundamental by both sides.

Following the government-to-government discussions, both sides held a commercial roundtable on the margins of the dialogue which brought together more than two dozen private space companies from each of the two countries and highlighted existing partnerships. The session allowed industry representatives to better understand how the United States and Germany promote their respective commercial space sectors and to outline opportunities and challenges for stronger bilateral cooperation. Participants welcomed reciprocal investment into each other’s space sectors. Existing partnerships were examined to help boost ties between the two commercial space sectors and enable promotion of new partnerships.

Both countries are committed to continue to work together in the areas mentioned above and to explore other collaboration such as space industry sector development, including at the next U.S.-Germany Space Dialogue, to be held in the United States at a mutually-determined future date.

End Text.


Joint Statement from the Governments of the United States of America and Germany at the Inaugural U.S.—Germany Space Dialogue
06/07/2024


Joint Statement from the Governments of the United States of America and Germany at the Inaugural U.S.—Germany Space Dialogue
06/07/2024 10:59 AM EDT



Office of the Spokesperson

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Germany at the inaugural U.S.-Germany Space Dialogue.

Begin Text:

Pursuant to their shared goal of advancing bilateral space cooperation as declared by their leaders, the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany held their first bilateral Space Dialogue in Berlin, Germany on June 3-4, 2024. The U.S.-Germany Space Dialogue’s purpose is to strengthen cooperation and advance bilateral exchanges in space matters.

In their welcome and keynote messages, Federal Minister Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action; Chirag Parikh, Executive Secretary of the National Space Council; Anna Christmann, German Federal Aerospace Policy Coordinator for Germany; and Rahima Kandahari, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs underscored that the inaugural Space Dialogue will deepen space cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of both countries and the world. Both delegations comprised representatives of a range of ministries and agencies involved in space activities.

At the meeting, German and U.S. officials exchanged information on respective national space policies, including Germany’s Space Strategy and upcoming Space Security Strategy as well as the U.S. Space Priorities Framework. Both sides reiterated their strong determination to expand already robust bilateral cooperation in a variety of areas, including addressing the climate crisis and sustainable and safe use of outer space; advancing national security space cooperation and information sharing; and strengthening bilateral commercial space cooperation.

The participants held extensive discussions about challenges to our shared economic and national security interests. Both sides are determined to continue their close coordination in strengthening the global governance of space activities by promoting the widest possible accession to and full compliance with the Outer Space Treaty, including not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction. Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to the development and implementation of voluntary, non-legally binding international best practices and guidelines to promote the sustainable, safe, and responsible use of outer space.

Both sides resolved to deepen the bilateral coordination on national security space policies practices, and capabilities; particularly given the growing scope of counter-space and space-enabled and related threats. They also resolved to strengthen the coordination of national security space activities with other allies and partners around the globe, including by leveraging innovative commercial space capabilities, to ensure access to critical space-based services. Both sides also confirmed their interest in working together to strengthen the security and resilience of critical space-related infrastructures and services against the full spectrum of threats.

The participants discussed ongoing cooperation in space exploration and science and opportunities to strengthen partnership in these areas. Both sides are determined to continue collaboration on scientific missions to enhance understanding of our solar system and investigate the origins of our universe, including through NASA’s Artemis missions – noting the critical importance Germany plays in developing the propulsion modules for the Orion crew spacecraft. The participants also expressed their intent to discuss further cooperation in exploration, particularly on cislunar and lunar surface activities and in Low Earth Orbit. The two sides also highlighted the agreement of NASA and DLR to continue gravity field measurements from space with the GRACE-C Mission, providing unique observations of Earth’s changing water cycle. Furthermore, this contributes to a better understanding of global climate change and helps policy makers make data-informed decisions. The importance of the GRACE-C Mission was recognized by a panel discussion preceding the space dialogue.

Both countries reviewed joint efforts to promote the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, including work in the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS), and other UN bodies and the strengthening of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). As signatories of the Artemis Accords, which reaffirm the importance of compliance with the Outer Space Treaty and other core treaties, and establish a political understanding to ensure safety of operations in and sustainable use of outer space as countries explore the Moon and beyond, both countries expressed the importance of advocating for these principles in UN bodies and other multilateral governmental fora. The two countries decided to stay in close communication on expanding commercial space ties and space situational awareness (SSA), as U.S. responsibilities for civil and commercial SSA shift in the coming years from the Department of Defense to Department of Commerce. Both sides recognized the importance of addressing space debris.

Both sides acknowledged that Earth observation is a priority area for bilateral cooperation. They discussed a range of programs that use satellites to better forecast weather patterns; support agricultural and infrastructure planning; help monitor and combat climate change and pollution; prepare for and respond to disasters; improve natural resource use; and provide vital telecommunications services. Both sides noted intent to partner on the Landsat Next Mission to advance scientific knowledge and remote sensing technologies to support socioeconomic development, environmental management, and climate resiliency worldwide. Furthermore, sharing of and facilitating access to satellite data especially in the field of climate protection, research, and resilience are seen as fundamental by both sides.

Following the government-to-government discussions, both sides held a commercial roundtable on the margins of the dialogue which brought together more than two dozen private space companies from each of the two countries and highlighted existing partnerships. The session allowed industry representatives to better understand how the United States and Germany promote their respective commercial space sectors and to outline opportunities and challenges for stronger bilateral cooperation. Participants welcomed reciprocal investment into each other’s space sectors. Existing partnerships were examined to help boost ties between the two commercial space sectors and enable promotion of new partnerships.

Both countries are committed to continue to work together in the areas mentioned above and to explore other collaboration such as space industry sector development, including at the next U.S.-Germany Space Dialogue, to be held in the United States at a mutually-determined future date.

End Text.


World Ocean Day
06/07/2024
World Ocean Day
06/07/2024 11:53 AM EDT



Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

As we join the global community in celebrating World Ocean Day, the United States reaffirms its dedication to safeguarding the ocean through concrete actions and international cooperation. We must seek ambitious and innovative solutions now if we are to tackle the many challenges facing coastal communities and marine ecosystems.

The United States is working at home and abroad to advance marine protected areas and reach the global 30×30 goal to conserve or protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. Through the Ocean Conservation Pledge, we encourage countries to achieve 30×30 in their own waters. With the new High Seas Treaty, countries will have a way to work together to establish marine protected areas in places beyond national jurisdiction – a critical part of our collective efforts to safeguard the health and resilience of our ocean.

Recognizing the impacts of climate change on our ocean, including sea level rise, ocean warming, and acidification, we are taking decisive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support ocean-based climate solutions. We are supporting initiatives to enhance the resilience of coastal communities and marine ecosystems through President Biden’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience and collaborating with island and coastal communities to implement adaptation measures like early warning systems.

We are actively working to tackle the challenge of plastic pollution in the marine environment and are promoting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture – central to food security and economic development around the world – while working to combat the challenge of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. We are also putting the ocean at the center of our Atlantic diplomacy with the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, collaborating with 38 coastal countries to promote and support sustainable blue economies, marine conservation, and scientific capacity building and exchange.

We call on all countries, organizations, and individuals to join us in taking bold actions to protect our ocean. Together, we can ensure a sustainable future for our planet, safeguard marine biodiversity, and secure the livelihoods of communities that depend on a healthy ocean.




World Ocean Day
06/07/2024
World Ocean Day
06/07/2024 11:53 AM EDT

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

As we join the global community in celebrating World Ocean Day, the United States reaffirms its dedication to safeguarding the ocean through concrete actions and international cooperation. We must seek ambitious and innovative solutions now if we are to tackle the many challenges facing coastal communities and marine ecosystems.

The United States is working at home and abroad to advance marine protected areas and reach the global 30×30 goal to conserve or protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. Through the Ocean Conservation Pledge, we encourage countries to achieve 30×30 in their own waters. With the new High Seas Treaty, countries will have a way to work together to establish marine protected areas in places beyond national jurisdiction – a critical part of our collective efforts to safeguard the health and resilience of our ocean.

Recognizing the impacts of climate change on our ocean, including sea level rise, ocean warming, and acidification, we are taking decisive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support ocean-based climate solutions. We are supporting initiatives to enhance the resilience of coastal communities and marine ecosystems through President Biden’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience and collaborating with island and coastal communities to implement adaptation measures like early warning systems.

We are actively working to tackle the challenge of plastic pollution in the marine environment and are promoting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture – central to food security and economic development around the world – while working to combat the challenge of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. We are also putting the ocean at the center of our Atlantic diplomacy with the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, collaborating with 38 coastal countries to promote and support sustainable blue economies, marine conservation, and scientific capacity building and exchange.

We call on all countries, organizations, and individuals to join us in taking bold actions to protect our ocean. Together, we can ensure a sustainable future for our planet, safeguard marine biodiversity, and secure the livelihoods of communities that depend on a healthy ocean.


Secretary Blinken’s Travel to France, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, and Italy
06/07/2024


Secretary Blinken’s Travel to France, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, and Italy
06/07/2024 12:47 PM EDT

Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Qatar from June 10-12, 2024. The Secretary will discuss with partners the need to reach a ceasefire agreement that secures the release of all hostages. He will emphasize the importance of Hamas accepting the proposal on the table, which is nearly identical to one Hamas endorsed last month. The Secretary will discuss how the ceasefire proposal would benefit both Israelis and Palestinians. He will underscore that it would alleviate suffering in Gaza, enable a massive surge in humanitarian assistance, and allow Palestinians to return to their neighborhoods. It would unlock the possibility of achieving calm along Israel’s northern border – so both displaced Israeli and Lebanese families can return to their homes –and set the conditions for further integration between Israel and its Arab neighbors, strengthening Israel’s long-term security and improving stability across the region. The Secretary will also continue to reiterate the need to prevent the conflict from escalating further.

In Jordan, the Secretary will attend a conference on the urgent humanitarian response to Gaza, co-hosted by Jordan, Egypt, and the United Nations.

In advance of the Secretary’s travel to the Middle East, he is accompanying President Biden on his trip to Normandy and Paris, France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and participate in his State Visit from June 5-9. The Secretary will also accompany President Biden in Apulia, Italy from June 13-14 for the G7 Leaders’ Summit.


Secretary Blinken’s Travel to France, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, and Italy
06/07/2024
Secretary Blinken’s Travel to France, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, and Italy
06/07/2024 12:47 PM EDT



Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Qatar from June 10-12, 2024. The Secretary will discuss with partners the need to reach a ceasefire agreement that secures the release of all hostages. He will emphasize the importance of Hamas accepting the proposal on the table, which is nearly identical to one Hamas endorsed last month. The Secretary will discuss how the ceasefire proposal would benefit both Israelis and Palestinians. He will underscore that it would alleviate suffering in Gaza, enable a massive surge in humanitarian assistance, and allow Palestinians to return to their neighborhoods. It would unlock the possibility of achieving calm along Israel’s northern border – so both displaced Israeli and Lebanese families can return to their homes –and set the conditions for further integration between Israel and its Arab neighbors, strengthening Israel’s long-term security and improving stability across the region. The Secretary will also continue to reiterate the need to prevent the conflict from escalating further.

In Jordan, the Secretary will attend a conference on the urgent humanitarian response to Gaza, co-hosted by Jordan, Egypt, and the United Nations.

In advance of the Secretary’s travel to the Middle East, he is accompanying President Biden on his trip to Normandy and Paris, France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and participate in his State Visit from June 5-9. The Secretary will also accompany President Biden in Apulia, Italy from June 13-14 for the G7 Leaders’ Summit.


The Week at State: May 31 - June 6, 2024
06/07/2024
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May 31 - June 6

Good afternoon. As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, we honor the courage, bravery, and sacrifice of U.S. and Allied forces.

Here's what happened at State. ⤵️🇫🇷 President Biden traveled to France to commemorate the anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy.
President Biden outlined a new proposal for an enduring ceasefire and the release of all the hostages in Gaza.
🏁 Secretary Blinken attended the NATO Foreign Ministerial in Prague.


Honoring the Greatest Generation


“The brave service members who fought on D-Day represent the Greatest Generation in our history,” the President said on Twitter/X. “Together, they stood to oppose the forces of fascism, volunteered to lay down their lives for our liberty, and answered freedom’s call at its hour of greatest need.”

The President and First Lady Jill Biden met with 30 World War II veterans who fought in Normandy and thanked them for their service.


Veterans Fly to France for 80th D-Day Anniversary

Dozens of World War II veterans visited France to participate in events commemorating D-Day. U.S. airlines and nonprofit groups provided support for veterans returning to Europe. France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron welcomed the veterans in Paris.

The returning veterans visited historic sites, including the Normandy American Cemetery, where more than 9,000 U.S. service members are buried.

As we commemorate 80 years since the D-Day operation, we honor the courage, bravery, and sacrifice of U.S. and Allied forces.


Secretary Blinken Attended NATO Foreign Ministerial in Prague

In Prague, Secretary Blinken met with NATO foreign ministers to discuss:Priorities for the upcoming Washington Summit.
Bolstering the Alliance’s deterrence and defense.
Support for Ukraine and its bridge to membership.


President Biden Announced Ceasefire Proposal

On Friday, President Biden outlined a new proposal for an immediate and enduring ceasefire and the release of all the hostages in Gaza.

“It’s time to begin this new stage. For the hostages to come home. For Israel to be secure. For suffering to stop. It’s time for this war to end. And for the day after – to begin,” President Biden said. “I know this is a subject on which people in this country feel deep, passionate convictions, and so do I.”

G7 Leaders stand behind the comprehensive deal that would also lead to an increase in humanitarian assistance and reconstruction plan for Gaza.

Since the President’s remarks on Friday, Secretary Blinken has been engaged in intense diplomacy with foreign counterparts, underscoring the benefits of this proposal to both Israelis and Palestinians.

As Secretary Blinken said, “We have a chance to end the war in Gaza, bring the hostages home, and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people with ceasefire deal that is on a table.”


News You May Have MissedDeputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell held a trilateral meeting between the U.S., Japan, and the Republic of Korea at his Virginia farmhouse to reaffirm commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and across the Taiwan Strait, and share concerns about the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s destabilizing rhetoric and actions.
Secretary Blinken commemorated LGBTQI+ Pride Month, which memorializes the uprising at Stonewall Inn that catalyzed a global movement toward LGBTQI+ equality and the inception of Pride.
The U.S. tackles illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, a global maritime security threat that undermines international agreements, jeopardizes food and economic security, and destabilizes vulnerable coastal states.
U.S. and Ethiopia hosted a media program for students that focused on combating mis/dis-information for university media literacy club leaders.
Under Secretary of State Liz Allen spoke on fostering a resilient information space at a Council on Foreign Relations event on digital diplomacy and countering foreign disinformation in New York.


🔎 Looking AheadJune 8: World Ocean Day
June 13-15: G7 Summit
June 16: Eid al Adha
June 19: Juneteenth
June 20: World Refugee Day
June 21: International Day of Women in Diplomacy
👉 Note to Our Readers

We welcome your feedback on our new look and distribution time. Send us your thoughts to EmailTeam@state.gov. 📩



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Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption Nephew’s Travel to Austria, Slovakia, and Bulgaria
06/07/2024 02:38 PM EDT

Office of the Spokesperson

Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption Richard Nephew will travel to Austria, Slovakia, and Bulgaria June 10-14.

In Vienna, Austria on June 10-12, Coordinator Nephew will preside at the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) 15th Session of the Implementation Review Group and a joint session of the Asset Recovery Working Group and International Cooperation Working Group. The sessions will be the first technical working groups under the U.S. Presidency of the UNCAC Conference of the States Parties and will discuss progress in reviewing countries in their implementation of the UNCAC. He will also meet with the UNODC, other member states, and civil society.

Coordinator Nephew will then meet with government officials, civil society organizations, and private sector representatives in Bratislava, Slovakia on June 13. He will discuss ongoing anti-corruption efforts and explore opportunities for further cooperation and collaboration.

On June 14, in Sofia, Bulgaria, Coordinator Nephew will deliver keynote remarks at a Basel Institute panel discussion on the Blue Dot Network as a framework for improving public procurement practices. He will also meet with private sector representatives, government officials, and civil society organizations to discuss their efforts to engage the private sector to strengthen the rule of law.

Follow @StateCGAC on Twitter to learn more.


Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption Nephew’s Travel to Austria, Slovakia, and Bulgaria
06/07/2024
Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption Nephew’s Travel to Austria, Slovakia, and Bulgaria
06/07/2024 02:38 PM EDT

Office of the Spokesperson

Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption Richard Nephew will travel to Austria, Slovakia, and Bulgaria June 10-14.

In Vienna, Austria on June 10-12, Coordinator Nephew will preside at the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) 15th Session of the Implementation Review Group and a joint session of the Asset Recovery Working Group and International Cooperation Working Group. The sessions will be the first technical working groups under the U.S. Presidency of the UNCAC Conference of the States Parties and will discuss progress in reviewing countries in their implementation of the UNCAC. He will also meet with the UNODC, other member states, and civil society.

Coordinator Nephew will then meet with government officials, civil society organizations, and private sector representatives in Bratislava, Slovakia on June 13. He will discuss ongoing anti-corruption efforts and explore opportunities for further cooperation and collaboration.

On June 14, in Sofia, Bulgaria, Coordinator Nephew will deliver keynote remarks at a Basel Institute panel discussion on the Blue Dot Network as a framework for improving public procurement practices. He will also meet with private sector representatives, government officials, and civil society organizations to discuss their efforts to engage the private sector to strengthen the rule of law.

Follow @StateCGAC on Twitter to learn more.

Counselor Chollet’s Call with Bahraini Foreign Ministry Under Secretary Al Khalifa
06/08/2024 09:14 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson

State Department Counselor Derek H. Chollet spoke with Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Under Secretary for Political Affairs Dr. Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa about the proposal on the table to achieve an enduring ceasefire in Gaza and secure the release of all hostages. Counselor Chollet underscored that the proposal would greatly benefit both Palestinians and Israelis, allow a surge in humanitarian assistance into Gaza, enable the return of displaced persons to areas throughout Gaza, and permit international reconstruction efforts to begin. He reiterated that Hamas should accept the proposal without further delay. The Counselor emphasized the importance of supporting this proposal as a means of building a more peaceful and stable Middle East region, including a clear pathway to a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security. He further recognized Bahrain’s leadership role in promoting peace across the region as the Arab League president this year. He also noted the importance of the Houthis immediately ceasing their attacks on international shipping and thanked Bahrain for its cooperation on Red Sea security. The Counselor noted appreciation for ongoing close bilateral cooperation in alignment with the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA) signed by the United States and Bahrain in September 2023.




The Rescue of Four Hostages from Gaza
06/08/2024
The Rescue of Four Hostages from Gaza
06/08/2024 04:36 PM EDT

The Secretary of State

We welcome the rescue of four hostages who after eight months of captivity have finally been reunited with their families in Israel. The United States will not rest until every hostage is returned home.

The proposal that President Biden outlined eight days ago would bring relief to both the people of Gaza and the remaining hostages and their families through an immediate ceasefire that could lead to the release of all hostages, a surge of humanitarian assistance, Gaza’s reconstruction, and an enduring end to the war. The only thing standing in the way of achieving this ceasefire is Hamas. It is time for them to accept the deal.


The Rescue of Four Hostages from Gaza
06/08/2024

The Rescue of Four Hostages from Gaza
06/08/2024 04:36 PM EDT
The Secretary of State

We welcome the rescue of four hostages who after eight months of captivity have finally been reunited with their families in Israel. The United States will not rest until every hostage is returned home.

The proposal that President Biden outlined eight days ago would bring relief to both the people of Gaza and the remaining hostages and their families through an immediate ceasefire that could lead to the release of all hostages, a surge of humanitarian assistance, Gaza’s reconstruction, and an enduring end to the war. The only thing standing in the way of achieving this ceasefire is Hamas. It is time for them to accept the deal.