(1 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
AGENCY POOL
Tel Aviv – 1 May 2024
1. Israeli President Isaac Herzog with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shaking hands
++BLACK FRAMES++
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Isaac Herzog, Israeli President:
"Mr. Secretary, welcome to Israel. I don’t know if you know which dateline you are and which hour of the day you are?"
Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State (English): "I was hoping you could tell me"
Isaac Herzog (English): "I know, you’re traveling all around the world. I saw your interview at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, and I want to thank you for the strong support and the moral clarity in what you’ve said regarding the initiation of this terrible situation, the war that was waged upon us, the atrocities, as well as, of course, the plight of the hostages. We yearn for the immediate return of the hostages, it is and should be the top priority of the international community. I think there should be a unanimous decision of the international community that freeing the hostages is an utmost priority. And I would like to add in that respect as well and in other respects, that whilst we are waging war to defend our citizens and to bring about a different future in the Middle East, our enemies and other elements are trying to kind of undermine the entire process by using international legal forums that were established in order to have a world order that pursues peace and pursues the values and norms that we all believe in, in the modern world, especially I mean, the efforts done through the International Criminal Court."
++BLACK FRAMES++
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Isaac Herzog, Israeli President:
"Trying to use the International Criminal Court against Israel, which is fighting terror, is a clear and present danger to democracies and to free and peace loving nations who pursue the norms of international law. And I call upon all our allies and friends to object and reject any such efforts. Thank you very much and welcome."
++BLACK FRAMES++
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State:
"We’re determined to get a cease-fire that brings the hostages home and to get it now and the only reason that that wouldn’t be achieved is because of Hamas. There is a proposal on the table and as we’ve said, no delays, no excuses, the time is now and the time is now long past due to bring the hostages home to their families."
++BLACK FRAMES++
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State:
"At the same time, even as we’re working with relentless determination to get the ceasefire that brings the hostages home, we also have to be focused on people in Gaza who are suffering in this crossfire of Hamas’ making. And so we’re focus on getting them the assistance they need, the food, medicine, the water, the shelter is also very much on our minds and in the work that we’re doing. I look forward to discussing all that with you and many more things as well. Thanks for seeing me again this morning."
++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
STORYLINE:
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Israel on Wednesday to press for a cease-fire deal, saying “the time is now" and warning that Hamas would bear the blame for any failure to get an agreement to halt the war in Gaza off the ground.
Blinken greeted the families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza who were protesting outside a meeting between him and Israel’s president, telling them that setting their loved ones free was “at the heart of everything we’re trying to do.”
Palestinian prisoners are also expected to be released as part of the deal.
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