As the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) prepare to execute the military strategy of the Israeli war cabinet in Rafah, the US and some western allies have concerns about the consequences of an “over the top” incursion.
The recent Leaders article in the Economist about the war between Israel and Hamas suggests an alternative to end the agony in the Middle East.
President Joe Biden should speed up this transition by appealing over Mr Netanyahu’s head—just as Mr Netanyahu has sometimes spoken over the head of American presidents. He should open an embassy in Jerusalem for the Palestinians, to match the one Donald Trump opened for Israel. He should also set out how America sees the parameters for a Palestinian state and, if Israel doggedly refuses to engage, be ready to recognise one himself…
For that to be possible, momentum is urgently needed. The more Israel curbs its West Bank settlers and the more credibly it commits itself to a Palestinian state, the more leeway it will have to contain the rump of Hamas fighters. The more Arab states are willing to spend money and provide security, the more confident ordinary Israelis and Palestinians will be of change. And the more America pushes all sides the better. Peace and stability in the Middle East will always be hard-won. But the world must seize this chance, because the pull towards war is unrelenting. (How to End the Middle East's Agony, 2024)
Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt report for Reuters on some of Biden's sharpest public criticism to date of the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden has come under increasing domestic pressure to press Israel to stop fighting.
"I'm of the view, as you know, that the conduct of the response in the Gaza Strip has been over the top," Biden told reporters at the White House.
He added that he has been pushing for a deal to normalize Saudi Arabia-Israel relations, increased humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians and a temporary pause in fighting to allow the release of hostages taken by Hamas.
"I'm pushing very hard now to deal with this hostage ceasefire," Biden said. "There are a lot of innocent people who are starving, a lot of innocent people who are in trouble and dying, and it's gotta stop." (Mason & Hunnicutt, 2024)
Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor for the Guardian, reports that a UN special rapporteur cites lack of medical supplies, food and clean water, and continued demolition of infrastructure to suggest that Israel may be in breach of the International Court of Justice orders on Gaza.
Israel appears to be in breach of the orders issued a fortnight ago by the international court of justice requiring it to take immediate steps to protect Palestinians’ rights and cease all activities that could constitute genocide, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied territories, Francesca Albanese, has said.
The Israeli government was given until 23 February to report to the ICJ on what it has done to comply with six orders the court issued, including one relating to ending incitement to genocide and another requiring immediate steps to improve the supply of humanitarian aid.
Senior western officials say that despite hours of negotiations with Israeli officials there is at best a marginal and incremental improvement since the 26 January ruling. “Safe to say, it’s dire and getting worse,” one said. (Wintour, 2024)
The investigation by the IJC of the charge of genocide has raised the surveillance of Israel’s campaign in Gaza and raised the question of possible legal complicity of the states that provide military and financial support to Israel.
References
How to end the Middle East's agony. (2024, February 1). The Economist. Retrieved February 10, 2024, from https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/02/01/how-to-end-the-middle-easts-agony
Mason, J., & Hunnicutt, T. (2024, February 9). Biden says Gaza fighting 'over the top,' pushing for a pause. Reuters. Retrieved February 10, 2024, from https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/biden-says-gaza-fighting-over-top-pushing-pause-2024-02-09/
Wintour, P. (2024, February 10). Israel appears to be in breach of ICJ orders on Gaza, senior UN official says. The Guardian. Retrieved February 10, 2024, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/10/israel-appears-to-be-in-breach-of-icj-orders-on-gaza-senior-un-official-says
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