MR PATEL: Good afternoon, everybody.
QUESTION: Good afternoon.
MR PATEL: I do not have anything off the top, Matt, so if you would like to kick us off.
QUESTION: Yeah. Before we get into what’s going on at the UN and then with Iran and this other kind of thing, can you clear up – either to kill or keep alive – these persistent reports that you guys have told the Israelis that you’re okay with them going ahead with the Rafah operation as long as they don’t attack Iran?
MR PATEL: So we’ve been pretty clear, Matt, that any kind of operation into Rafah requires some pretty serious planning, because of the three main components that you’ve heard me, Matt, the Secretary outline pretty seriously before: first and foremost, of course, the more than 1 million people seeking refuge in Rafah; the region itself continuing to be an important conduit for humanitarian aid and an important conduit for the safe departure of foreign nationals. So any kind of operation into Rafah would require serious planning, and we would seriously oppose anything that is done without factoring in those various pieces when considering how to conduct a military operation into Rafah.
QUESTION: Okay. That’s an excellent answer to a question that I don’t think I asked. I asked you whether or not the U.S. has told the Israelis that you’re okay with a Rafah operation as long as they limit or don’t attack Iran in response to what happened over the weekend.
MR PATEL: So Matt, I don’t want to – the devil is in the details here. It would require what kind of operation into Rafah we’re talking about. If it is one that is reflective of these three very serious concerns that we have – I’m not going to preview or get into hypotheticals, but those are some serious areas of concerns that our continued engagement with our partners in Israel continues to be that when it comes to Rafah, these three things need to be addressed and you need to have a plan for them.
MR PATEL: And so that’s going to continue to be our message. And that is separate from our unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and their self-defense and their ability to defend themselves.
QUESTION: All right. So regardless of whether Israel does anything with – in response to the Iranian attack over the weekend, you still would oppose a Rafah operation, unless what you’ve just mentioned are – so why can’t you just say, no, that it is not true that you have —
MR PATEL: It’s not true. It’s not true. But I’m speaking – it’s not —
QUESTION: Well, why couldn’t you have just said that at the beginning instead of going on for —
MR PATEL: Because you’re – I am —
QUESTION: I thought the question was pretty clear.
MR PATEL: It wasn’t that clear. I’m trying to be specific. And I’m trying to be specific in response to your question.
QUESTION: All right. And then as it relates to Rafah, this call today – is it over?
MR PATEL: The White – our colleagues at the White House will have a readout later in the afternoon. I don’t have a sense on the status, but Admiral Kirby spoke briefly about this on Air Force One.
MR PATEL: National Security Advisor Sullivan is going to be conducting this meeting happening today. We will have participants from the State Department tuned in and joined for that conversation. But I will leave it to colleagues at the White House to —
QUESTION: Okay. But as far as you know, the call is not over? Or has it even started?
MR PATEL: I just – I don’t have a sense on timing.
QUESTION: All right. Last one. At the UN right now, I think the Security Council is voting or about to vote on this Palestinian recognition resolution. How are you guys going to vote?
MR PATEL: So Matt, since October 7th, we have been pretty clear that sustainable peace in the region can only be achieved through a two-state solution,…
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