Blinken has faced criticism for providing Israel with weapons and diplomatic support during its war on Gaza [Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty]
Several journalists who are outspoken critics of US support for Israel loudly lambasted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the war in Gaza on Thursday, repeatedly interrupting his final press conference as he sought to defend his handling of 15 months of horrific Israeli war on the Palestinian territory.
Israel’s assault on Gaza is likely to define the foreign policy legacy of the outgoing Biden administration, despite a deal reached between Israel and Hamas that would see a ceasefire and exchange of captives implemented in gradual stages.
“Criminal! Why aren’t you in The Hague,” shouted Sam Husseini, an independent journalist and long time critic of Washington’s approach to the world. The Hague is where the International Criminal Court is located.
The unusually confrontational scene in the State Department briefing room only ended when security personnel forcibly picked up Husseini and carried him out of the room as he continued to heckle Blinken.
Blinken has faced criticism for providing Israel with weapons and diplomatic support throughout the war, which has killed over 46,000 Palestinians and utterly devastated the Gaza Strip, displacing nearly all of its 2.3 million population.
Attacks by the Israeli military and settlers are also continuing in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli has  been brought before the International Court of Justice to face accusations of genocide in a case brought by South Africa, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court.Â
Max Blumenthal, the editor in chief of the controversial Grayzone website, also called out Blinken before he was escorted out.
“Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May?” he said.
Blumenthal however has previously backed Bashar al-Assad and Russia’s ground and aerial assault on opposition-held towns and cities in Syria and on social media some commentators accused him of “hypocrisy”.
Blinken, who leaves office on Monday when the administration of President-elect Donald Trump takes over, calmly asked for quiet while he delivered his remarks, and later took questions from reporters.
He has been frequently heckled at appearances in Washington since the Gaza conflict began. Demonstrators camped outside his Virginia home for months and repeatedly threw red paint – resembling blood – on cars carrying Blinken and his family.
Asked during the press conference if he would change anything about his dealings with Israel, Blinken attempted to defend Israeli government, saying that its policies were supported by the “overwhelming majority of Israelis after the trauma of October 7” and said that had to be factored in to the US response.
The Biden administration claims it has been unable to reach final determinations on individual incidents that could constitute violations of international law because Hamas embedded itself within the civilian population, he claimed.
