The increasing pressure against Israel is happening in tandem with the increasing international criticism of both Israel and the USA. President Biden is making himself more and more unpopular in the United States and beyond the country’s borders with his support for Israel’s brutal warfare in Gaza. Last night, Vice President Kamala Harris had a meeting with Israeli Minister Benny Gantz, who is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military government. Prime Minister Netanyahu has long announced a ground offensive in Rafah, where over a million exhausted and hungry people have sought refuge in large tent camps. – The Vice President and Gantz discussed the situation in Gaza and the need for a credible and feasible humanitarian plan before Israel launches new military operations, given the vulnerable position of civilians, says a statement from the White House. BEFORE THE MEETING: Benny Gantz on his way to the meeting at the White House, where he knows that the vice president is going to put heavy pressure on Israel. Gantz is a former chief of defense in Israel, now he sits in the war cabinet. Photo: AFP Harsh words At the weekend, Harris used startlingly harsh language about Israel’s warfare, which has cost more than 30,000 people their lives in the Gaza Strip so far. Most of the victims are civilians, women and children. Again, the Vice President expressed deep concern about the situation in Gaza, especially the humanitarian conditions for the civilians and the safety of the approximately 1.5 million Palestinians in Rafah. She asked Israel to be open to more aid, while at the same time asking Hamas to accept the conditions for a ceasefire that are on the table, it says. Political Rival It is causing a stir that Benny Gantz is invited to the White House and not Benjamin Netanyahu. Gantz and Netanyahu are political rivals and Gantz himself has ambitions to become prime minister. While a large majority of Israelis want to get rid of Netanyahu as quickly as possible, Benny Gantz is best placed in the polls to become Israel’s new leader. BEFORE THE MEETING: Benny Gantz on his way to the meeting at the White House, where he knows that the vice president is going to put heavy pressure on Israel. Gantz is a former chief of defense in Israel, now he sits in the war cabinet. Photo: AFP President Biden does not have a good relationship with Netanyahu either. Not only has Netanyahu humiliated the US president after October 7, by refusing to listen to his closest ally the US. Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have repeatedly asked Israel to consider civilians in Gaza and allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel’s leaders do not care about this, despite the fact that the US supports Israel with weapons, billions in financial support and the blocking of resolutions in the UN Security Council. Perhaps the White House invites Gantz, as an expression that Biden has given up cooperation with Netanyahu? The Times of Israel writes that Prime Minister Netanyahu is upset about Gantz’s trip, which he believes is happening to undermine the Prime Minister’s position. Netanyahu has instructed Israel’s embassy in the United States not to assist Gantz while he is in Washington DC, the newspaper writes. Gantz will be invited to the White House to improve relations between the two close allies after Biden and his associates have lost patience with Netanyahu, according to the Times of Israel. PROTESTS: Protesters outside the White House as Kamala Harris met Benny Gantz. They want an end to the starvation and bombing of the Palestinians in Gaza. Photo: AP Demands for Biden In the US, several political commentators believe that Joe Biden must be tougher on Israel. One who has been involved in American foreign policy for decades is Richard Haass. He has been an adviser to former presidents and foreign ministers. He believes that Joe Biden must give a clear speech to the Israelis, preferably in the national assembly Knesset, and tell them that neither the Gaza war nor the long-term occupation of Palestinian land is a solution, this is not sustainable. In the Ezra Klein Show podcast, he suggests that The US can demand that the weapons it sends to Israel are not to be used in densely populated areas such as Gaza. Haass also says that Israel is in the process of losing sympathy with the young generation of Americans, and that only old people like Joe Biden still remember Israel as a slightly vulnerable country. That support for Israel is in the process of weakening among Israelis most important partner the USA, must sink in also in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Haass believes. Also listen to the foreign editor’s podcast:
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The US begs Israel to send more aid to Gaza – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
