| Submit your comments on this article |
| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Report: In ‘difficult’ video call, US tells Israel its Rafah evacuation plan not viable |
| 2024-04-03 |
| [IsraelTimes] Virtual meeting between Blinken, Sullivan, Dermer and Hanegbi underlines sides are on ‘completely different pages’ regarding potential IDF op in southernmost Gaza city A virtual meeting on Monday between US and Israeli officials to discuss a potential IDF ground operation in Rafah was reportedly marked by tensions and accusations as Washington expressed deep skepticism over Israeli plans to operate in the southernmost Gaza city. The two-hour video call between US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the American side and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi on the Israeli side was extremely “difficult,” a Tuesday Channel 12 report claimed, stating that it showed the US and Israel are on “completely different pages” when it comes to Israel’s planned operation in Rafah where Jerusalem says four Hamas battalions remain. The US representatives expressed deep concern about the threat of famine in Gaza and were highly critical of the IDF’s plans for Rafah, saying its evacuation proposal for the million-plus noncombatants in the city was unimpressive and not implementable. Offering Hebrew translations of the alleged English conversation, Channel 12 reported that Sullivan told the group: “You’re going to be responsible for the third famine crisis of the 21st century. That is not something we can accept as partners. Blinken was said to tell Dermer and Hanegbi that “according to the pace of your operations, it will take you four months to evacuate Rafah.” The Israeli officials were quoted as not having anything to say regarding the US critiques other than reiterating their belief that Hamas cannot be dismantled without the IDF going into Rafah. Sullivan reportedly responded: “If you don’t have a proper plan for the day after, nothing will help you in dismantling Hamas. Not [operating in] Rafah, and not anything else.” Essentially, Channel 12 summed up, the US representatives on the call made clear that if Israel wants any kind of American green light for an operation in Rafah, it needs to provide a viable “day after” plan for the post-war management of Gaza along with a credible evacuation plan for Rafah. In a joint readout issued following the meeting on Monday, Israel agreed to take into account US concerns regarding Rafah and also agreed to hold a follow-up meeting in-person in Washington next week. The sides “agreed that they share the objective to see Hamas defeated in Rafah” during the two-hour meeting, the US readout said. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #3 no USA military people at the meeting maybe even Austin or Johnson would be embarrassed to speak nonsense to Dermer and Hanegbi |
| Posted by: lord garth 2024-04-03 20:04 |
| #2 Blinken should know. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2024-04-03 03:46 |
| #1 Illegal immigrants double under Biden |
| Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2024-04-03 02:49 |