STORY: A difficult journey at a particularly difficult moment. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed at Ben Gurion Airport in east Tel Aviv on Monday. In view of the recent escalation of violence in the Middle East conflict, Blinken had already called for moderation on the part of Israelis and Palestinians. Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State: “It is the responsibility of both sides to defuse tensions, not fuel them. We must work toward the day when people no longer need to fear in their communities, homes and places of worship. Only this can stop the escalating violence that has already killed too many people – too many Israelis and too many Palestinians. I will make that clear to everyone I meet during my time in Israel and the West Bank.” The US administration maintains its stance that a two-state solution is the only way to a lasting solution to the conflict. Blinken wants to encourage both sides to take steps to de-escalate the upcoming talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.