Listener supported, WNYC Studios.

This is The New Yorker Radio Hour, a co-production of WNYC Studios and The New Yorker.

Welcome to The New Yorker Radio Hour. I'm David Remnick. The announcement earlier this week of a ceasefire

deal in Gaza is maybe the most hopeful news from this terrible conflict since the October 7th attack.

Now, it has to be said that even with the possibility of a ceasefire, there are many reasons for caution here,

not least that far-right elements in Israel may well try to undermine the deal. After the initial

and horrific attack on October 7th, the war in Gaza has left tens of thousands dead, and Gaza itself

a near ruin. Israeli hostages remain in captivity.

We'll see if they're released soon. Hezbollah has been decimated. Iran is weakened and isolated.

So maybe, after so much suffering, this is a moment when change is possible.

That at least is the position of Anthony Blinken, the outgoing Secretary of State.

He's been President Biden's chief partner in attempting to manage the many global crises of the past four years,

including the invasion of Ukraine and China's continuing threats toward Taiwan. We spoke about all of that last week as

Secretary Blinken was on the verge of turning over the State Department to Marco Rubio and the Trump

administration, and just before the announcement of the ceasefire deal.

Secretary Blinken, thanks for coming to the New Yorker Radio Hour, and this turns out to be your absolute exit interview.

That's right.

I think we can acknowledge that in the position that you have, that sometimes you have to stick to talking points or formal language.

But with all due respect, I'm hoping that we can

peel aside some of that, at least some of that caution, and confront some serious and even

contentious questions more directly than before.

I'll do my best to take on my deep-rooted instincts of caution and sticking to talking points.

...