In Cairo, Blinken Urges 'Calm' Over Middle East Conflict United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called for "calm" during a visit in Cairo Monday following a surge in deadly violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Israel is reeling from an attack Friday that killed seven civilians outside a synagogue in annexed east Jerusalem. This comes a day after the deadliest army raid in the occupied West Bank that claimed 10 Palestinian lives.  The U.S. has historically taken a lead on Middle East diplomacy, while Egypt, which has relations with Israel, has long served as a mediator in the Israel-Palestinian conflict.