The conflict (if we can call it that) in Gaza has been going on damn year a year….there have been many proposals to try and get Israel to stop the onslaught but so far no success….
Now Biden after butt licking Israel for all these months has seemed to get frustrated and irritated with BiBi……
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again was dismissive on Monday of calls to do more to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, though this time one of the voices came from the White House lawn. Netanyahu did not yield to demands for an immediate ceasefire despite pressure including work stoppages across Israel and a UK move limiting arms exports. At one point in a press conference, per the AP, Netanyahu said: “No one is more committed to freeing the hostages than me. But no one will preach to me.” Developments include:
- Biden’s “No”: Asked by reporters after he landed at the White House in Marine One whether Netanyahu was doing enough to reach a deal for the hostages’ return, President Biden answered, “No.” He then went inside for a Situation Room meeting on the issue that included Vice President Kamala Harris and officials involved in the Gaza ceasefire talks, the New York Times reports.
- Next US moves: Biden is considering presenting Israel and Hamas with a final proposal for an agreement this week, per NBC News. A White House readout shows Biden expressed anger in the meeting at the killing of six hostages and stressed the need to hold Hamas accountable. The group planned consultations with mediators Qatar and Egypt.
- Netanyahu digs in: In his first press conference since the killings, the prime minister stuck to his plans for a continued Israeli presence on Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border, a stance that has been blamed for delaying an agreement, per the Washington Post. Yielding after the hostage killings, Netanyahu said, would send Hamas the message: “Slay hostages and you’ll get concessions.” Asked when he would consider the war over, per the Times, Netanyahu said, “When Hamas no longer rules Gaza.”
- UK decision: Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced Monday that the UK is suspending the export of some arms to Israel because of the risk that the weapons would be used in “serious violation of international humanitarian law.” About 30 out of 350 arms export licenses are affected, per the Post, including the sales of components for military aircraft including fighter aircraft, helicopters, and drones.
- Domestic pressure: In the biggest such action of the war against Hamas, schools, local governments, hospitals, and transport networks slowed or stopped operations Monday in protest of Netanyahu’s government. The labor strike stopped at 2:30pm after more than eight hours, when a court decreed the labor leaders had provided insufficient notice of the stoppage.
I would take Biden more seriously if in his supposed anger he mentioned the thousands of innocents killed by the IDF or the numerous aid convoys that have also been attacked or the refusal to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza…..but he is only outraged by something that he is paid to be outraged about…..
I believe this faux anger is a sham a way to try and quell the growing protests at our inaction to stopping a murderous machine.
Time for the US to start acting like the beacon of democracy that it claims to be.
I Read, I Write, You Know
“lego ergo scribo”
He’s miffed because nobody listens to him – he’s out the door!
This is a phony miffed. He is trying to look more like a peace maker than the warmonger. chuq
Like pressing charges against HAMAS? As if they give a hoot!!
Another diversion…..making some donor smile. chuq
We should have quit making proposals in this conflict long ago. Glad we are finally down to the last one, which will, of course, be rejected.
My question is do they really want an end to the death and destruction? chuq
They (meaning the people who tell Biden what to do) say they do, but their actions say their desire to support Netanyahu and his government, and their desire to prevent a two state state solution is more important.
Netanyahu is doubling down on being bullish. He just had a moan at the UK for restricting some weapons sales. I reckon Israel still has enough bombs to kill everyone in Gaza though, so I doubt any ‘sanctions’ will bother him.
Best wishes Pete.
BiBi is a bully and Biden is his lap dog…..without the US that war would have been over in a few weeks at best. chuq