An Israeli TV news report recounts a meeting of the war cabinet in which Mossad chief, David Barnea presented a hostage deal which offered freedom to 50 Israelis held in Gaza, in exchange for a return of refugees to their homes in northern Gaza. The majority of the cabinet favored the deal, including former IDF chiefs Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, along with top Netanyahu advisor, Ron Dermer. The defense minister and IDF chief of staff took a middle ground position, urging not to proceed at this time. Instead, they suggested the army should continue planning to invade Rafah and give the US time to arrange for a more comprehensive deal.
Netanyahu not only rejected the plan, he berated his negotiating team (including Barnea) for not being tough enough in the talks. Thus, he could go to the public and say the proposed deal was lacking, and that Israel should hold fast to obtain a better one. This would deflect blame for his refusal to agree to Barnea’s terms.
Though Hamas has rejected the latest proposals, Barnea was proposing an interim deal that dealt with the hostages and the refugee return to the north.
Netanyahu has also urged the US to pressure Qatar, which is mediating the negotiations, to be more amenable to Israeli demands. It is typical for the him to expect others to bend to his will and secure his interests, while he offers little or nothing in return. When he doesn’t get his way, he blames everyone but himself.
The charges by the Biden administration and Israel that Hamas was the party refusing a deal are deliberately misleading. It is Netanyahu who stands in the way of the freedom of the hostages.
In fact, their families had a rancorous meeting with the prime minister yesterday:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met families of returned hostages on Tuesday in an encounter that some of those present described as loud and angry.
…Dani Miran, whose son Omri was taken hostage on Oct. 7…said he felt his intelligence had been insulted by the meeting and had walked out in the middle of it….”his entire performance was ugly, insulting, messy, [he said].”
…”They say ‘we’ve done this, we’ve done that.’ Sinwar is the one who returned our people, not them. It angers me that they say that they dictated things. They hadn’t dictated a single move.”
…”It was a very turbulent meeting, many people yelling,” said Jennifer Master, whose partner Andrey is a hostage.
The Israeli-American families complained that while the Biden administration treated them with dignity and respect, holding meetings with the president, secretary of state, and CIA director–no one from the Israeli government communicated with them at all. Netanyahu remained intransigent, saying only full victory would ensure return of the their loved ones.
Netanyahu also told the cabinet that an Israeli delegation would head to Washington next week for talks on the planned Rafah invasion. The Biden administration will attempt to dissuade the Israelis from the invasion. Though given the US failures to sway Israel this far, the chances of that are slim.
Netanyahu has boasted about his own mastery of US presidents saying he has them wrapped around his finger. He also rejected claims that Israel must heed US warnings against invading Rafah:
Netanyahu cited three instances in which Israeli prime ministers acted against the position of the United States: David Ben-Gurion’s declaration of independence in 1948, Levi Eshkol’s actions in the period leading up to the 1967 Six-Day War and Menachem Begin’s 1981 decision to attack the nuclear reactor in Iraq.
1956 Suez Crisis with Eisenhower – 1963 conflict with President John F. Kennedy inspection nuclear reactor Dimona – espionage and imprisonment Pollard, parole denied Obama – 1991 negotiated deal GHB/JBIII Oslo Accords – incitement and death Yitzhak Rabin.
https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/nuclear-vault/2019-05-02/battle-letters-1963-john-f-kennedy-david-ben-gurion-levi-eshkol-us-inspections-dimona
Netanyahu is not interested in freeing the captives…if they get freed that would be a bonus.
The real goal is the same goal as Israelis haves had since before independence; genocide and ethnic cleansing, get the Palestinians OUT of the lands claimed by Israel. Netanyahu knows his goal is within sight while the US dithers and issues “firm statements of “restraint”.
Biden quietly signs off on more bombs, warplanes for Israel
Transfers include 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs, 500 MK82 500-pound bombs, 25 F-35A fighter jets
Total 3,850 tons explosive power on an occupied, civilian people holed-up in Gaza.
“Let’s talk Rafah invasion in my White House mansion …”
Complete destruction Al Shifa Hospital Executions of Medics, Patients
Al-Shifa’s legacy destroyed: Dr Mads Gilbert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8tCw6ZSB6Q
Norwegian physician Dr Mads Gilbert, who has spent extensive time working in Gaza, including at al-Shifa hospital, says the siege of the facility has destroyed its legacy.
“The Israeli occupation forces this night have ended 78 years of brave medical history,” Gilbert told Al Jazeera, speaking from Tromso, Norway.
The hospital was built in 1946 and was the most important flagship hospital for the healthcare for people in Gaza, he said.
“This is such a sad day, I’ve been weeping all morning.”
Meanwhile, the fate of the 107 critical patients who were moved two days ago to an old part of the medical complex remains unknown, Gilbert said.
It is simply astonishing how Israel’s economical “meters” like stock index and value of currency are performing despite of what we see happening in Gaza and Israel day after day. The day when Israel bombed Iranian embassy in Damascus and killed western food transporters – World Central Kitchen personel, TA125 has dropped today a bit and Shekel (ILS) is slightly below the value it had yesterday. The day when USA had to inform Iran, that they did not know about Israel’s attack and the assassination of the general. The day when Israel is trying to block UNRWA and World Central Kitchen had a significant role in that Israeli game plan. How long can US government tolerate Israeli attempts to drag USA in the large war Israeli leaders are trying to create?
I really wonder who is keeping the stock values in Israel on their present high levels. TA125 index is a broad index with the performance and data of 125 companies. Many of those are home market companies. They can not be performing well when millions are demonstrating, hundreds of thousands are in military service, a couple of hundred thousand live in hotels waiting for “the return”, over halve of million have moved out of Israel etc. Exporting and importing companies can not be in perfect shape when the harbours are empty and air trafic is mildly said less “regular” and very few want Israeli products. Who is now so stupid that they would invest in building new settlements on occupied areas. And who would buy the new or old apartments in settlements with the price of before 6th of October? Which bank would give loans against those uncertain assets? If war against Hizbollah starts in earnest, Lebanon will be in ruins, but so will also Israel be. It means much of the Israeli industrial and economical infrastructure would vanish permanently. Lebanese are used to it, Israelis are not.
Jon Hoffman a young man, astute writing Middle East with wisdom
https://schar.gmu.edu/news/2021-12/phd-candidate-jon-hoffman-26-earns-middle-east-policy-councils-40-under-40-honors
A previous time PM Netanyahu read from the Book …
Bibi Netanyahu: Book of Esther, Persecution, Deliverance and the Holocaust | 7 March 2012 |
”You also refused to bomb Auschwitz”
http://web.archive.org/web/20221209182446/https://www.haaretz.com/2012-03-06/ty-article/by-conjuring-the-holocaust-netanyahu-brought-israel-closer-to-war-with-iran/0000017f-db8a-db22-a17f-ffbb1ff00000