Fresh off his triumphant trip to Washington, D.C., the Israeli leader is preparing a set of new demands for Phase 2 he hopes Hamas will reject.
From the moment Israel accepted the ceasefire deal, its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his aides have characterized it as a limited agreement aimed at securing the release of as many Israeli captives as possible and not a comprehensive plan to end the war. Now, emboldened by his recent meetings at the White House and riding a tsunami of giddiness over President Donald Trump’s proposal for the U.S. to seize control of Gaza, Netanyahu returned to Israel on Sunday ready to sabotage the already frangible agreement and expand his forces’ siege of the West Bank. “This trip, and the conversations we held with the president of the United States, included additional incredible achievements that can guarantee the security of Israel for generations,” Netanyahu boasted. “I am not exaggerating. I’m not overstating. There are opportunities here for possibilities that I don’t think we ever dreamed of — or at least until the last few months, they didn’t seem possible, but they are possible.” According to the terms of the ceasefire deal that went into effect January 19, Israel and Hamas were slated to begin negotiations over the details of a second 42-day phase of the ceasefire no later than 16 days into Phase 1. The second stage envisions the release of all remaining Israeli captives in exchange for substantial numbers of Palestinians held by Israel, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the beginning of a permanent ceasefire that would pave the way for a massive multi-billion-dollar reconstruction of the Strip. Three weeks into the deal, however, those negotiations have not yet begun. Netanyahu initially refused to send a delegation to Doha, Qatar for Phase 2 talks, but after intervention from the White House, he grudgingly dispatched a delegation empowered only to discuss ongoing technical details related to the current phase, not to negotiate next steps. Netanyahu landed in Tel Aviv claiming that Israel had made a strategic agreement with Trump and his special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff about the positions Israel would assert in the next round of talks. Netanyahu said Monday he returned from Washington, D.C. with new plans for Gaza and that he and Trump “see eye to eye” on how to proceed. “You wanted a day after [plan]? You got one… It just doesn’t match the Oslo narrative… We won’t repeat that mistake… I’ve come back with a vision without Hamas and without the Palestinian Authority,” Netanyahu announced. Shaking his fist in a meeting at the Knesset, he declared, “We know what complete victory is and we will not give up on it.” Since the ceasefire officially went into effect on January 19, Israel has continued to carry out targeted attacks inside the Gaza Strip on an almost daily basis. Hamas has accused Israel of playing “dirty games” by slowing or blocking the agreed upon delivery of aid into the Gaza Strip, including food, medicine, tents, generators and other necessities, as well as continuing to kill Palestinians in Gaza. “Netanyahu came back from the United States with all intentions to sabotage the deal." “I’m committed to buying and owning Gaza,” Trump said Sunday. “ we’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas or their people don't move back.” I received this article by Mr. Scahil by e-mail which describes the actual political moment brilliantly for all three; The U.S. Israel and the Palestinian people and their administration, I'm sharing excerpts with my good readers and friends, the article is definitely worth sharing and careful reading. As always my many thanks to all. |
No comments:
Post a Comment