Janice R. Andrews
As the 10-month battle in the Gaza Strip continues, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden are at differences over the killing of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. As discussions for a cease-fire dangle in the balance, this episode has further soured ties between the two partners.
Tempting Conversation Among Leaders
Speaking under anonymity, a senior U.S. official detailed a tense conversation that transpired between Biden and Netanyahu on Thursday. Netanyahu justified the killing of Haniyeh and refuted Biden’s claim that Israel was impeding a cease-fire accord. Even though Haniyeh was a crucial negotiator in the negotiations, the Israeli prime minister contended that getting rid of him would eventually hasten the cease-fire process by putting more pressure on Hamas.
But Biden said that Haniyeh’s killing was not a wise choice in timing. The president of the United States voiced fears that carrying out the operation on Iranian land would intensify the regional fighting, sabotaging attempts to achieve a cease-fire and maybe starting a wider war in the Middle East.
Confidential Procedure
Both administrations attested to the fact that, despite Netanyahu and Biden’s recent meeting at the White House, Israel had not disclosed to the US the details of the plot to assassinate Haniyeh. An Israeli official clarified that by providing them with early knowledge, Netanyahu hoped to avoid endangering the United States. Although U.S. authorities acknowledged that there had been no previous intelligence available, they chose not to condemn Israel for this choice.
Biden’s Apprehensions
During a brief exchange with media at Joint Base Andrews, Biden shared his concerns on the unstable state of affairs in the Middle East. “It worries me a lot,” the President declared. “Today, I had a pretty straightforward discussion with the prime minister. We have the foundation for a truce. Both he and they ought to take action right away. In response to the question of whether Haniyeh’s murder made it more difficult to negotiate a settlement, Biden said, “It hasn’t helped. I will not say anything more at this time.”
Continuous Military Assistance
In spite of the hostilities, Israel and the United States are collaborating closely to prevent an Iranian backlash for Haniyeh’s death. In an attempt to avert any prospective strikes, Biden has directed the deployment of more warships and aircraft to the area. This is in line with their cooperative efforts in April, when they successfully intercepted nearly 300 missiles and drones fired by Iran towards Israel.
Israeli Internal Conflicts
According to a story published on Friday by Israel’s Channel 12, Netanyahu has had disagreements with his own security officers, who have accused him of modifying the conditions of the proposed cease-fire to make negotiations more difficult. The negotiators were told to continue their discussions in Cairo, according to the Prime Minister’s office, which refuted these allegations.
A senior Israeli official gave a thorough explanation of Israel’s position, claiming that 29 amendments to the text had been made by Hamas rather than Israel adding any additional requirements. Despite this, there are still a number of important issues that need to be settled, namely in relation to how hostages are handled and the Philadelphi corridor, which is a vital section of Gaza’s border with Egypt.
Plan of Cease-Fire
There are three steps in the suggested cease-fire strategy. In the first phase, during a 42-day ceasefire in military operations, Hamas is to release 33 captives in exchange for the release of many Palestinians from Israeli jails. Netanyahu, nevertheless, is certain that the sum of the hostages’ deaths should not include their bodies.
Furthermore, Israel desires control of the Philadelphi route in order to stop weapons and terrorists from entering Gaza. Furthermore, Israel demands that Hamas fighters be restricted from moving freely within Gaza, albeit the details of this demand are still unknown.
Pressure and Scepticism
U.S. officials doubt Netanyahu’s sincerity in seeking a cease-fire, wondering whether he is really trying to look amenable in order to deflect pressure from the relatives of the captives. Recent Israeli military operations, such as the murder of a Hezbollah leader in Lebanon and the unexpected death of Haniyeh in Tehran, have increased this scepticism.
Concluding Phases of Discussion
During a recent visit at the Oval Office, Biden put pressure on Netanyahu to complete a cease-fire deal in a matter of days or weeks. According to the U.S. official, Biden was quite straightforward and raised his voice to stress how urgent a deal needed to be made. Teams from both sides have been trying to overcome these problems, despite differences of opinion on certain aspects of the idea.
Nonetheless, Netanyahu’s sincerity over the cease-fire has been called into question in light of the latest killings. The senior Israeli official expressed dissatisfaction with the pressure from the United States, arguing that it might give Hamas the impression that they do not need to reach an agreement if the U.S. does not appear to completely support Israel. Biden, however, has made it clear that it is time to complete the deal.
The death of Haniyeh has complicated the already tense relationship between Biden and Netanyahu as cease-fire negotiations continue. The road to a cease-fire is still unclear as there are still major sources of contention and the possibility of more regional escalation. There is a lot of pressure on both leaders to overcome these obstacles and come to a decision that would put an end to the current Gaza conflict.
