The comedy staged by Biden and Netanyahu (who exchange the heading of the agreement on the ceasefire in Gaza presented to the mediators of Qatar and Egypt last weekend), this Monday, entered a new phase.
According to what was reported by the Israeli media, Netanyahu, during a closed-door meeting of a parliamentary commission that also deals with defense-related issues, declared that the first phase of the ceasefire plan “proposed by Biden”, which provides for the release of prisoners by Hamas, could be accepted. And the other two phases of the plan?
In relation to those, Netanyahu spoke of gaps, reiterating that Israel’s priority is to “destroy” Hamas, an aim that will be pursued together with that of the recovery of prisoners held in Gaza, stating that both objectives are part of a plan to put an end to the conflict approved by the war cabinet.
Therefore, why Hamas would then agree to a truce with Israel on a three-phase plan that Israel – which should have drafted such a plan – says it is not sure it wants to respect, even before it is implemented… remains a mystery .
Not only…
The first of the far-right ditch-jumpers, Ben-Gvir, accused Netanyahu of wanting to create an agreement to end the war without defeating Hamas. The Minister of National Security told his parliamentary group that the Prime Minister had invited him to read the proposed agreement, but his assistants had twice failed to produce the document.“This morning I also went to the Prime Minister’s office and there, once again, they refused to present me with the draft agreement,” Ben-Gvir said, before adding, referring to Netanyahu: “If you sign an ill-advised agreement that will end the war without the elimination of Hamas, Otzma Yehudit [il partito di Ben-Gvir] will dissolve the government.”
The second of the extremist’s ditch-jumpers, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, also criticized the ceasefire proposal, declaring that it would “humiliate” Israel and amount to a “surrender” to Sinwar, the head of the Qassam brigades, the Israel’s military wing:
“If, God forbid, the government decides to adopt this offer of surrender, we will not take part in it and will work to replace the failed leadership with a new one,” Smotrich said, Haaretz reported. “I told the prime minister: We, together with the grieving families and the majority of the Israeli people, will stand with you in victory, but we will stand against you with all the strength we are capable of if you choose surrender and defeat.” .
And the farce continues with today’s new statement from White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, who said he was unaware of any “gaps” in the ceasefire agreement:
“As for the gaps, I don’t know which gaps Netanyahu is referring to,”
Kirby said during a briefing with reporters, before adding that the Biden administration is “confident” that the proposal outlined “accurately reflects” a proposal that has been worked on with Israel and the ball is now in Hamas’s court which must communicate a decision.
Today, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, visiting Madrid, said that Hamas had welcomed the ceasefire proposal in Gaza.
Subsequently, Haaretz reported that Hamas sources informed mediators from Qatar and Egypt that they wanted official and certain guarantees from Washington that Israel would implement “all” the conditions of the agreement. Therefore, the statements of the Egyptian Foreign Minister appear very optimistic and unlikely.
Meanwhile, Israel’s genocide, taking place in Gaza and the West Bank, continues, with Palestinians still being bombed daily for eight months, with a toll of deaths and injuries that does not stop and continues to grow. And all this in the most total indifference of the West which claims to defend democracy and human rights… but only in Ukraine.
