Blinken links Palestinian state to Israel-Saudi peace deal

Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that the United States will back “tangible steps towards the creation of a Palestinian state” despite Israeli disinterest in the concept following the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack.

“We talked about those efforts,” Blinken told reporters in Bahrain after meeting with Abbas. “We talked as well about the importance of reforming the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian governance, so that it can effectively take responsibility for Gaza, that — so that Gaza and the West Bank can be reunited under a Palestinian leadership.”