In the following days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joe Biden will have a crucial conversation about the prospect of a military action in Rafah. To ensure Hamas’ defeat, Israel maintains that this operation is vital.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operations in Rafah were reviewed between Biden and Netanyahu last week. Rafah is the last remaining bastion of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. According to the White House, President Biden is firmly against invading Rafah, and the United States is confident that Israel can defeat Hamas without launching a massive operation. The president invited Israeli officials to attend next week’s meetings in Washington.
But Netanyahu portrayed the discussion differently. He claims that he stressed the need to invade Rafah to wipe out the last battalions of Hamas. The Israeli public was likewise made aware of his restriction on discussing anything other than humanitarian activities in that region.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced that Ron Dermer, Minister of Strategic Affairs, and Tzachi Hanegbi, National Security Adviser, would be dispatched to Washington to emphasize this point. Both have deep roots in the Likud Party; Dermer has a close contact with Trump and was Israel’s ambassador to the United States before that.
It is no secret that Biden has political considerations, and the Israelis know it. Recent “uncommitted” votes in the Michigan Democratic primary—which were swayed by anti-Israel activists—suggest that Biden may lose the pivotal swing state in November if a large number of Democratic voters decide not to vote in protest.
The Republican caucus in the Senate heard about it with Netanyahu on Wednesday via video conference. His invitation to speak to the Senate Democratic caucus was declined. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) brought up the prospect of asking Netanyahu to deliver a speech to the House. However, the joint speech to Congress cannot proceed without the approval of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). It should be noted that Schumer voiced his criticism of Netanyahu’s controversial remarks not long ago.
Since 1200 people were killed when Hamas militants invaded Israel 167 days ago, the war has continued unabated. Additionally, they transported 243 hostages to Gaza. Even if the leaders and captives are still hard to find, Israel has managed to target a significant percentage of Hamas.
