Prime Minister Netanyahu’s handling of the American initiative that takes everything into account except Israel’s survival- at least as of Saturday night – is encouraging. Op-ed.
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Hamas members get salaries in RafahAbed Rahim Khatib/ Flash90
In response to Arab reports that the United States would guarantee Israel’s defeat to Hamas as part of the deal for the hostage release, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s team repeatedly issued denials to the Israeli media, saying that Israel would not accept ending the war without defeating Hamas.
Netanyahu also refused to send a negotiating team to possibly be witness to the head of the CIA promising Hamas that the USA would force Israel to accept defeat (AKA permanent ceasefire and complete withdrawal of Israeliforces from Gaza).
If the Arab reports are true, this would reflect an American assessment that Netanyahu could be cornered to ultimately honor such a guarantee, with Netanyahu claiming that in return for accepting defeat that America promised to actually join Israel to fight Iran.
It would certainly not be the first time that Mr. Netanyahu whispers “Iran” to key people and selected talking heads to justify a decision.
I’ve lost a lot of sleep this week fearing this very scenario.
Though the possibility of Netanyahu facing a very furious and vengeful newly elected President Trump next January if Netanyahu goes along with such a deal makes this scenario considerably more complicated.
Which is why Prime Minister Netanyahu’s handling of the American initiative- at least as of 10:38 PM Saturday night – is encouraging.
The host of the Reshet Bet Radio news program was furious tonight (a good sign) that Netanyahu’s team repeatedly said Israel wouldn’t accept defeat, since rejecting defeat could kill the deal.
I hope she is right.
As we approach Independence Day we are hopefully continuing with this stage of our War of Independence.
Secretary of State Blinken complains that we haven’t shared the details of the evacuation plans.
Given the tendency of the Americans to share information with the media, it is hardly a surprise that we aren’t telling him exactly which neighborhood we are going to evacuate on a particular date or which specific location out of the prepared evacuation locations each neighborhood is going to be moved to.
We don’t want an American leak to give Hamas time to deploy their forces to turn the evacuations into a photo op of bloodbaths.
Dr. Aaron Lerner is head of IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis, since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a fo
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