Members phkrause Posted May 10, 2024 Author Members Posted May 10, 2024 Biden says US won’t supply weapons for Israel to attack Rafah, in warning to ally WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an all-out assault on Rafah — the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza — over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there. https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4? Biden's red line President Biden told CNN's Erin Burnett in Racine, Wis., that the U.S. will stop sending Israel offensive weapons if it invades the Gaza city of Rafah, Axios' Barak Ravid writes. Why it matters: Biden drew a red line of restraint for Israel, a red line of differentiation with Republicans and a red line of split with hawkish Democrats. 🖼️ The big picture: More than a million Palestinians have taken refuge in Rafah in recent months. The Biden administration opposes a broad Israel Defense Forces ground operation in Rafah that would not include a credible plan to protect civilians. The administration has already put on hold a weapons shipment to Israel that included 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs, a senior U.S. official told Axios. State of play: Israeli forces took control of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt and began evacuating the population from several neighborhoods in the area. But the IDF didn't enter the city itself. Biden told CNN the IDF's actions so far haven't crossed the red line he set. The president noted that civilians in Gaza were killed as a result of Israel's use of U.S.-made bombs in populated areas. "I made it clear that if they go into Rafah — they haven't gone into Rafah yet — if they go into Rafah, I'm not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities," Biden said. "We're not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells," Biden said, adding later: "We're not walking away from Israel's security. We're walking away from Israel's ability to wage war in those areas." Full interview: 17-min. YouTube. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 12, 2024 Author Members Posted May 12, 2024 Netanyahu on US threat to withhold arms: Israel will fight with its ‘fingernails’ if needed JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a U.S. threat to withhold some arms would not prevent Israel from continuing its offensive in Gaza, indicating it might proceed with an invasion of the packed city of Rafah against the wishes of its closest ally. https://apnews.com/article/cyprus-aid-shipment-gaza-c2f2545739b7c9499476e6b4cfa9b5df? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 12, 2024 Author Members Posted May 12, 2024 The Biden-Netanyahu relationship is strained like never before President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have long managed a complicated relationship, but they are quickly running out of space to maneuver as both men balance an explosive Mideast situation against their own domestic political problems. Read more. Recent developments: Netanyahu has grown increasingly resistant to Biden’s public charm and private pleading, prompting the president’s recent assertive pushback. Netanyahu, for his part, is brushing off Biden’s warnings and vowing to press ahead with a Rafah offensive. Netanyahu’s political survival may depend on the offensive. If he reaches a hostage deal that stops short of conquering Rafah, hard-liners in his coalition have threatened to topple the government and trigger new elections at a time when opinion polls forecast he would lose. Biden aides nonetheless insist the president is unwilling to allow the U.S.-Israel relationship to truly rupture on his watch. They cite not only the political imperative — a majority of Americans support Israel — but also Biden’s personal history with the country. Meanwhile, he faces mounting protests from young Americans, a segment of the electorate critical to his reelection. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US says Rafah offensive would jeopardize cease-fire talks as Biden threatens to halt more Israel aid Israeli settlers attacked this West Bank village in a spasm of violence after a boy’s death Bernie Sanders says Gaza may be Joe Biden’s Vietnam Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 15, 2024 Author Members Posted May 15, 2024 In hundreds of deadly police encounters, officers broke multiple safety guidelines In hundreds of deaths where police used force meant to stop someone without killing them, officers violated well-known guidelines for safely restraining and subduing people — not simply once or twice, but multiple times. For its investigation, the AP cataloged 1,036 deaths over the course of a decade that happened after officers used force without using their guns. In about half, medical officials ruled that law enforcement caused or contributed to the deaths, but they usually didn’t mention whether policing best practices were followed. Read more. Key points: Most violations involved pinning people face down in ways that could restrict their breathing or stunning them repeatedly with Tasers, the investigation found. Some officers had little choice but to break policing best practices — safety guidelines that are recommended by government agencies, law enforcement groups and training experts — to save a life or protect someone. Because of how policing is set up in the United States, there are no national rules for how officers apply force. Best practices provide some direction but aren’t mandatory. In the end, individual departments or states set their own policies and training. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Risks of handcuffing someone face down long known; people die when police training fails to keep up Why did more than 1,000 people die after police subdued them with force that isn’t meant to kill? Lethal Restraint: An investigation documenting police use of force Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 15, 2024 Author Members Posted May 15, 2024 Bibi's Biden rant Photo illustration: Aïda Amer. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AFP via Getty Images A day after President Biden warned Israel that a major attack on Rafah would cross a "red line" for U.S. support, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went on a rant during a meeting with his security cabinet, Axios' Barak Ravid reports. "We are not a vassal state of the United States!" he declared, according to three people with knowledge of his remarks, including one of Netanyahu's aides. Why it matters: Netanyahu's hot reaction last Thursday reflected his combative mood at a time when Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza has strained its relationship with the U.S. Between the lines: Bibi has long fought with Democratic U.S. presidents to mobilize his base at home — and doesn't want to be seen as Biden's puppet. The tension began escalating two weeks ago, after Biden put a hold on 3,500 U.S. bombs that were on a ship about to depart for Israel. It signaled how concerned Biden remains about Netanyahu continuing to say he's planning to order an invasion of Rafah, where more than 1 million displaced Palestinians have taken shelter. 🔎 Behind the scenes: Netanyahu and his close confidant Ron Dermer, Israel's minister for strategic affairs, were surprised by Biden's decision on the weapons shipment and his public ultimatum, two Israeli sources with knowledge of the issue told Axios. Biden and other senior U.S. officials privately told Netanyahu and Dermer several times recently that such a move could happen if they continued pushing toward an invasion of Rafah, a senior U.S. official said. But Dermer, who was Israel's ambassador to Washington for eight years during the Obama and Trump administrations, told Netanyahu that Biden wouldn't dare take such a step, one Israeli source said. The bottom line: So far, Israel's military is operating in Rafah in a targeted way without a massive ground invasion, U.S. officials say. Go deeper: Democrats rage at GOP over "tough vote" on Israel arms sales ... Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 17, 2024 Author Members Posted May 17, 2024 🇮🇱 Bibi's war cabinet breakdown Smoke plume from an explosion yesterday in the Gaza Strip, seen from southern Israel. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images Israel's defense chief warned in a dramatic speech yesterday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's inaction on a post-war plan for Gaza is pushing Israel toward having to impose military and civilian rule over the enclave, Axios' Barak Ravid reports. Why it matters: Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's remarks were a public indictment of Netanyahu's war policy, exposing some officials' frustration that he hasn't set a clear strategy for Gaza's future. The comments shed light on the deepening political divisions in Israel's war cabinet, where relations between officials are disintegrating after more than seven months of fighting Hamas. "Indecision is, in essence, a decision," Gallant said. "This leads to a dangerous course, which promotes the idea of Israeli military and civilian governance in Gaza." Netanyahu has rejected such calls for action, saying there's no point in drafting a post-war plan before Hamas is defeated. Keep reading. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 20, 2024 Author Members Posted May 20, 2024 Bibi blocks meetings with U.S. officials Photo illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios. Photo: Noam Moskowitz/picture alliance via Getty Images Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has banned Israel's intelligence and security chiefs from meeting with U.S. officials and lawmakers multiple times since the war in Gaza began, U.S. and Israeli officials tell Axios' Barak Ravid. Why it matters: Netanyahu seems to be trying to control what American politicians and diplomats hear from Israel — at a time when his government is deeply divided over his war strategy, and relations with the U.S. are growing more tense, the officials said. 👂 What we're hearing: For decades, congressional delegations and senior White House and State Department officials who've visited Israel routinely have met with the heads of its military and security services. But over the past few months, Netanyahu — who is directly in charge of the Mossad intelligence agency and Shin Bet security agency, and must approve their meetings with U.S. politicians and officials — has tried to prevent several such meetings. Three weeks ago, Netanyahu banned the directors of Mossad and Shin Bet from meeting with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the U.S. officials said. Rubio, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, requested the meetings during his visit to Israel last month. Netanyahu met with Rubio himself. 🔎 Between the lines: The leaders of those agencies think Israel needs to craft a clearer strategy for post-war Gaza. In the past few days, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and cabinet Minister Benny Gantz have publicly demanded that Netanyahu draft a post-war strategy. Netanyahu rejects the need for a strategy until Hamas is defeated. Keep reading. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 20, 2024 Author Members Posted May 20, 2024 Member of Israel’s War Cabinet says he’ll quit the government June 8 unless there’s a new war plan Benny Gantz, a popular centrist member of Israel’s three-member War Cabinet, threatened Saturday to resign from the government if it doesn’t adopt a new plan in three weeks’ time for the war in Gaza, a decision that would leave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more reliant on far-right allies. Read more. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 29, 2024 Author Members Posted May 29, 2024 Benjamin Netanyahu frequently makes claims of antisemitism. Critics say he’s deflecting from his own problems Israel’s prime minister has long used the travails of the Jewish people to color his political rhetoric. His supporters say he is honestly worried for the safety of Jews around the world. But his detractors say he is overusing the label to further his political agenda and try to stifle even legitimate criticism. Read more. Why this matters: The Israeli leader accused the International Criminal Court's top prosecutor of being one of “the great antisemites in modern times,” after he sought arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his defense minister and top Hamas officials.” As protests roiled college campuses across the U.S. over the war in Gaza, he said they were awash with “antisemitic mobs.” These are just two of many instances in which he has accused critics of antisemitism. “Not every criticism against Israel is antisemitic,” said Tom Segev, an Israeli historian. “The moment you say it is antisemitic hate ... you take away all legitimacy from the criticism and try to crush the debate.” The prime minister’s critics say that his actions risk diluting the term’s meaning at a time when antisemitism is surging worldwide. The war in Gaza has reignited a debate about the definition of antisemitism and whether any criticism of Israel — from its military’s killing of thousands of Palestinian children to questions over Israel’s very right to exist — amounts to anti-Jewish hate speech. Many Israelis view the war in Gaza as a just act of self-defense and are befuddled by what many think should be criticism directed at Hamas. Related coverage ➤ US-built pier on Gaza coast suffers damage from rough seas Algeria proposes UN resolution demanding Israel halt offensive in Rafah Palestinian prime minister visits Madrid after Spain, Norway and Ireland recognize Palestinian state Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted June 7, 2024 Author Members Posted June 7, 2024 Israeli settlers in the West Bank were hit with international sanctions. It only emboldened them More than a dozen Israeli settlers – as well as two affiliated farms and four groups – have been targeted by international sanctions over accusations of attacks and harassment against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. But three sanctioned settlers – Yinon Levi; his father-in-law, Noam Federman; and Elisha Yered – told The Associated Press the measures against them were, at most, an annoyance. Read more. Why this matters: Sanctions are meant as a deterrent, and they expose people to asset freezes and bans on visas and travel. In some cases, property is seized. For sanctioned settlers, the implications didn’t last long, with communities donating money and holding fundraisers. The measures have had minimal impact, instead emboldening settlers as attacks and land-grabs escalate, according to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, local rights groups and sanctioned Israelis who spoke to the AP. Palestinians say expanding Israeli outposts are shrinking their access to land, and settler violence against them has soared since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. Land seized through unauthorized outposts has more than doubled since the war started, according to settlement watchdog Kerem Navot. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ A strike on a Gaza school that the military claims was being used by Hamas kills 33 ‘All Eyes on Rafah,’ a social media effort to draw attention to the city, surges Pro-Palestinian demonstrators arrested at Stanford University after occupying president’s office Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted June 12, 2024 Author Members Posted June 12, 2024 Centrist Benny Gantz is quitting Israel’s war Cabinet, citing frustrations with Netanyahu JERUSALEM (AP) — Benny Gantz, a centrist member of Israel’s three-man war Cabinet, announced his resignation Sunday, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of mismanaging the war effort and putting his own “political survival” over the country’s security needs. https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-netanyahu-gantz-48a4a60ccccdb7f74b4bf7816f9a7c67? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted June 12, 2024 Author Members Posted June 12, 2024 🇮🇱 Netanyahu rival quits Benny Gantz announces his resignation from Israel's war cabinet during a press conference in Tel Aviv yesterday. Photo: Amir Levy/Getty Images Centrist Israeli minister Benny Gantz announced in a speech yesterday that his party is withdrawing from the emergency government formed after the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas, Axios' Barak Ravid writes. Why it matters: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition won't fall apart. But it will likely be destabilized. Gantz — who was once the IDF's top general — said Netanyahu's promise of total victory against Hamas was empty and that Israelis deserve "a real victory" that "puts the release of the hostages above political survival." He's seen by the Biden administration and many other Western and Arab governments as a moderate. The departure is likely to increase U.S. and international pressure on Netanyahu. Keep reading. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted June 18, 2024 Author Members Posted June 18, 2024 Netanyahu dissolved his war Cabinet. How will that affect cease-fire efforts? JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disbanded his war Cabinet Monday, a move that consolidates his influence over the Israel-Hamas war and likely diminishes the odds of a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip anytime soon. https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-war-cabinet-hamas-netanyahu-b50f7fe8913b06aaba377ae6b37c3fed? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted June 29, 2024 Author Members Posted June 29, 2024 Ultra-Orthodox Jews block highway to protest Israel’s new mandatory military service ruling BNEI BRAK, Israel (AP) — Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men blocked a major highway in central Israel for two hours on Thursday to protest a recent Supreme Court decision ordering young religious men to enlist for military service. https://apnews.com/article/israel-ultraorthodox-gaza-war-military-draft-netanyahu-172a2f6378abbd1cb8e278f8d1e930c4? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted July 14, 2024 Author Members Posted July 14, 2024 🇮🇱 Hostages' families request Bibi meeting Leebie Goldberg Polin (C) holds photos of her brother Hersh Goldberg Polin, a U.S. citizen held in Gaza, along with families and supporters of other hostages during a protest in Tel Aviv. Photo: Amir Levy/Getty Images The families of U.S. hostages held in Gaza asked to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his upcoming trip to Washington, Axios' Barak Ravid scoops. The families want to push Netanyahu to move forward with the hostage-release and ceasefire deal that is on the table. "We believe the time is ripe to discuss the Israeli government's strategy for securing the release of our loved ones and how the Prime Minister intends to implement that strategy," the families wrote in a letter requesting the meeting. Netanyahu hardened his demands yesterday for a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas, even as the White House expressed optimism that a deal was getting closer. Go deeper. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted July 17, 2024 Author Members Posted July 17, 2024 🇮🇱 Scoop: Bibi tries to win Trump back Years of efforts by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to mend relations with former President Trump may have shown some progress following the assassination attempt against Trump, Axios' Barak Ravid writes. Why it matters: Netanyahu aides worry relations won't be as close if Trump wins in November as they were during his first term. Relations deteriorated after he congratulated Biden for his victory in the 2020 election. They were encouraged, however, that after Netanyahu sent Trump a video condemning Saturday's assassination attempt, Trump posted it on Truth Social. 🖼️ The big picture: Netanyahu allies have met with Trump on at least four occasions over the past three years to try to repair ties. One went so far as to bring a copy of Netanyahu's book to Mar-a-Lago and read passages praising Trump, according to a Netanyahu aide. "But every time we thought we managed to put this behind us, we discovered that it didn't work and that Trump was still angry," the aide told Axios. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted July 21, 2024 Author Members Posted July 21, 2024 U.S. discussed sanctioning Israeli ministers Sanctions against two hard-line Israeli Cabinet ministers were among the potential steps discussed at a White House National Security Council meeting this week on how to respond to the deteriorating security situation in the West Bank, U.S. officials tell Axios' Barak Ravid. Why it matters: The Biden administration is deeply frustrated that the Israeli government has pursued a policy of expanding settlements and weakening the Palestinian Authority — and that more extreme members of the government are openly allied with extremist settler groups. The White House meeting was convened after another surge in violence by extremist settlers against Palestinians, and an Israeli government decision to plan and build another 5,000 housing units in the settlements and legalize five outposts. ⚡ Catch up quick: Earlier this year, President Biden signed an unprecedented executive order allowing sanctions on Israeli settlers. When Biden signed that order, senior White House officials recommended the president sanction Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir — the ultranationalist ministers of finance and national security respectively. The idea was discussed again this week in the NSC meeting but no decision was made. Keep reading. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted July 23, 2024 Author Members Posted July 23, 2024 Netanyahu Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington, DC, as a ceasefire and hostage deal in the Israel-Hamas war remains stalled. Netanyahu is expected to meet with President Joe Biden on Thursday, a US official said, though the date of the meeting remains fluid as Biden recovers from Covid-19. Netanyahu's visit comes as tensions between the two leaders have escalated as the US has grown increasingly frustrated with the way Israel has executed the war in Gaza, including the lack of protections for civilians. Vice President Harris plans to skip Netanyahu's speech to Congress this week, a source told CNN, underscoring the tense relationship between the Biden administration and the Israeli Prime Minister. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted July 25, 2024 Author Members Posted July 25, 2024 A look at Netanyahu’s claims about Israel, Hamas and Iran during his speech to Congress Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday defended his country’s conduct in the Gaza war, urged the U.S. to support the fight against Hamas and ridiculed protesters during a scathing address to Congress. But he also cited an unverified intelligence report and ignored much of the criticism in a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated Gaza. Read more. A look at the claims: The Israeli leader spoke of the bravery of soldiers on Oct. 7. But he did not delve into the massive intelligence and security blunders under his watch that allowed Hamas to breach Israel’s vaunted defenses that day. Netanyahu also said he was speaking on behalf of the people of Israel. It’s true that Israelis largely believe in the justness of the war, but support has grown for a cease-fire, including one that would end the war entirely. In fact, public support for Netanyahu has plummeted since Oct. 7, with many blaming Netanyahu for the Hamas attacks. Netanyahu boasted about the 135 hostages that have been freed, seven of them in rescue missions. But he left out that the vast majority of those hostages were freed during a cease-fire in late November, that Israeli forces mistakenly killed three hostages in December, and that roughly 120 hostages have languished in captivity for nearly 10 months. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Netanyahu to meet with Harris and Biden at crucial moment for US and Israel Demonstrators stage mass protest against Netanyahu visit and US military aid to Israel In fiery speech to Congress, Netanyahu vows 'total victory' in Gaza and denounces US protesters Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted July 29, 2024 Author Members Posted July 29, 2024 🇮🇱 America warns Israel Mourners from Israel's Druze minority community surround the bodies of some of the 12 children and teens killed in a rocket strike at a soccer field in the Golan Heights. Photo: Leo Correa/AP The Biden administration warned Israel that if it hits Hezbollah targets in Beirut in response to a deadly strike on the Golan Heights on Saturday "the situation would likely spiral out of control," Axios' Barak Ravid has learned. Why it matters: The Israeli security cabinet convened yesterday to discuss the military response to the rocket attack that killed 12 children and teenagers, including an option to conduct strikes in Lebanon's capital, Israeli officials said. Israel blamed the deadly strike on Hezbollah. American officials said they believe Hezbollah fired the rocket. Hezbollah denied responsibility. U.S. and Israeli officials agree that an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah would cause huge destruction on both sides and could lead to a regional war. 👀 What to watch: An escalation between Israel and Hezbollah would likely freeze negotiations over the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, Israeli officials said. Mossad's director met in Rome yesterday with CIA director Bill Burns, Qatar's prime minister and Egypt's spy chief to discuss an updated Israeli proposal. Middle East Israel has vowed retaliation against Hezbollah after blaming the Lebanese militant group for a rocket attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The strike killed 12 children who had been playing on a soccer field, further escalating tensions in the region. Hezbollah says it "firmly denies" it was behind the strike, the deadliest to hit Israel or Israeli-controlled territory since the October 7 attacks. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes rocked Gaza during another weekend of heavy bombardment. A group of US doctors who volunteered in hospitals across Gaza also sent an open letter to the White House sharing their experiences and demanding an immediate ceasefire. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted August 4, 2024 Author Members Posted August 4, 2024 🇮🇱 Israel's new powder keg Israel's assassination spree in Iran and Lebanon has brought the Middle East closer to a devastating regional war than at any point since Hamas' Oct. 7 terrorist attack, Axios' Barak Ravid and Zachary Basu write. Why it matters: The dangerous spiral of escalation could drag the U.S. deeper into the regional crisis — and lead to mass suffering well beyond Gaza, where hopes for a ceasefire and hostage deal are slipping away after months of careful negotiations. 🖼️ The big picture: For 10 months now, the Israel-Hamas war has spawned spurts of violence elsewhere in the Middle East. The latest tensions threaten to escalate into all-out war across multiple fronts. Iran: The Biden administration is convinced Iran will attack Israel within days in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this week. Lebanon: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed to exact revenge for Israel's assassination of a senior military commander in Beirut. Yemen: The leader of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels pledged a "military response" in response to Israel's assassination of Haniyeh. Iraq: After months of an unofficial "ceasefire," pro-Iranian Shia militias in Iraq resumed their attacks on U.S. forces in the region. The U.S. struck a militia base in southern Iraq this week in response to the growing threat. Keep reading. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted August 19, 2024 Author Members Posted August 19, 2024 Netanyahu's doublespeak Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is telling the U.S. he absolutely wants a ceasefire deal in Gaza — while Israeli officials say he's refusing to give negotiators enough space to actually make a deal, Axios' Barak Ravid reports. Why it matters: Some Israeli officials told Axios that Netanyahu's hard lines are making a deal much harder to reach — prolonging the war in Gaza even as he tells American officials he wants to help end it. ⏰ The latest: Netanyahu endorsed the U.S.' latest ceasefire proposal — which incorporated several of his updated demands — knowing Hamas would reject it, senior Israeli officials tell Axios. Despite optimism from Washington during the most recent round of negotiations, the Egyptian and Qatari mediators providing updates to Hamas didn't believe any real progress was being made. 🔮 What's next: Netanyahu told Secretary of State Antony Blinken that he intends to send the heads of the Israeli negotiating team to a follow-up summit in Cairo later this week, a Netanyahu aide told Axios. Yes, but: "What matters is not whether Netanyahu is sending the negotiators, but if he gives them a wide enough mandate to get a deal," an Israeli official said. Go deeper. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted August 30, 2024 Author Members Posted August 30, 2024 🇮🇱 Israeli leaders' divisions boil over Rubble and destruction seen today in Khan Yunis, Gaza. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images An Israeli Security Cabinet meeting last night about a potential hostage/ceasefire deal erupted into a shouting match between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, Israeli officials tell Axios' Barak Ravid. ⚡️ Why it matters: The confrontation highlighted the deep disagreement between Netanyahu and the vast majority of Israel's defense establishment and intelligence community about Israel's strategy in Gaza. Gallant's aides say he has no intention of resigning. But the episode could push Netanyahu to again consider the possibility of firing him, as he did in 2023. The bottom line: The clash between Netanyahu and Gallant is likely to make the Biden administration's efforts to reach a deal much more complicated. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted September 3, 2024 Author Members Posted September 3, 2024 Israel Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to Israel's streets on Monday over the government's failure to secure a ceasefire-for-hostages deal with Hamas. Demonstrations could be seen in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Caesarea and other sites across the country, fueled by the killing in Gaza of six hostages, whose bodies were retrieved by Israeli soldiers over the weekend. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been accused of stalling efforts for a deal by some hostage families and their supporters. When asked Monday whether Netanyahu was doing enough to reach an agreement, President Joe Biden said simply: "No." More than 100 hostages, including 35 believed to be dead, are still being held in Gaza — the vast majority of them taken during Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, when some 1,200 people were killed. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted October 6, 2024 Author Members Posted October 6, 2024 Biden says he doesn’t know whether Israel is holding up peace deal to influence 2024 US election WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden had terse words for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, and said he didn’t know whether the Israeli leader was holding up a Mideast peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election. https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-mideast-israel-d9f53ba8c7b3b4db953be020f676274c? ps:Still defending this guy!! Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
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