Hello, im lewis vaughanjones. Welcome to The Programme. We start in the middle east, where the palestinian president says only the us can prevent an Israeli Attack on rafah, where more than a million have fled. Mahmoud abbas is at the World Economic forum summit in riyadh. He will be joined there on monday by the us Secretary Of State, Antony Blinken. Other Key International figures are expected in the saudi city and Sideline Meetings are expected to discuss the war in gaza and the way forward. That could include further Ceasefire Talks a hamas delegation is reportedly in cairo for discussions there on monday. This is the appeal from palestinian president , mahmoud abbas, to the us, urging it convince israel to reconsider any offensive in rafah. Translation and i say here whats happening now in gaza, | and what will happen in the coming few days, and what israel will do by invading the city of rafah, all the palestinians from gaza are gathered in rafah and its only one small strike tha
Lets get more on our top story, the palestinian president says only the us can prevent an Israeli Attack on rafah, where more than a million have fled. Efforts are under way to negotiate a truce between israel and hamas. The us Secretary Of State is heading to riyadh, where he will meet arab leaders to discuss the situation. Lets speak to Gina Abercrombie winstanley, president of The Middle East Policy Council and former us ambassador. Thank you very much for coming on the programme. Antony blinken on his way. What you think he is hoping to achieve . Hes got a tough road ahead, he has got to convince the players he is meeting in riyadh are several things. Players he is meeting in riyadh are severalthings. Number players he is meeting in riyadh are several things. Number one, players he is meeting in riyadh are severalthings. Number one, he has got to convince the saudis there is a deal ahead, that the us Security Guarantees are going to make it worthwhile for them to continue forward.