Blinken announces $50M to UNRWA, no timeframe on consulate for Palestinians

RAMALLAH — During a trip to the West Bank on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he saw a "shrinking horizon of hope” for Palestinians and urged both sides to take steps to de-escalate the violence that has gripped the region in recent days.

Blinken acknowledged that his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah came at a "challenging time." The violence spiked last week when the Israel military carried out what it described as a counterterrorism raid in the West Bank city of Jenin, a known hotbed of militant activity, killing nine Palestinians.