US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s farewell address was disrupted on Tuesday by a protester who accused the Biden administration of overseeing alleged genocide against Palestinians.
Blinken was outlining post-war plans for managing the conflict in Gaza when the protester, blaming the administration for civilian casualties, interrupted the speech.
The speech and accusations
During his address, Blinken acknowledged the complexity of the situation in Gaza, where Israel and Hamas have been engaged in conflict.
He stated that the outgoing Biden administration would pass on a detailed post-war plan to the incoming administration led by President-elect Donald Trump, should a ceasefire agreement be reached.
However, the speech was soon interrupted by a protester who accused Blinken and the Biden administration of war crimes and genocide.
The protester shouted, "You will forever be known as bloody Blinken, secretary of genocide. The blood of innocent civilians, of children, is on your hands."
Blinken responded calmly, expressing respect for her views while continuing with his speech. “So we continue,” he said with a smile as the protestor was escorted out of the venue.
Blinken’s stance on Israel and Gaza
Throughout his tenure, Blinken has supported Israel and denied accusations of genocide, instead calling for greater efforts to ensure civilian safety and humanitarian aid for Gaza.
He maintained that the US has been urging Israel to take steps to protect non-combatants and facilitate international aid.
In his speech, Blinken highlighted that the US has been working on a comprehensive post-war plan that would facilitate Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza while preventing Hamas from regaining control.
He stated, “For many months, we’ve been working intensely with our partners to develop a detailed post-conflict plan that would allow Israel to fully withdraw from Gaza, prevent Hamas from filling back in, and provide for Gaza’s governance, security, and reconstruction."
The protester, who accused Blinken of overseeing alleged genocide, disrupted the speech for several minutes.
Blinken’s calm response and refusal to be derailed by the protest were noted in his attempts to continue with the presentation.
Security eventually escorted the protester out of the venue.
Hamas, the militant group in Gaza, has reportedly accepted a draft ceasefire agreement. It has also agreed to release a number of hostages held since the war began on October 7, 2023.
However, the success of this plan depends on the cooperation of the incoming Trump administration, which has not yet confirmed full implementation.
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