The United States has conveyed to the Netanyahu government that the large-scale military operation in Rafah is not something the Biden administration supports. Washington has been quick to caution that any Israeli military action in Rafah should be “limited” in scope.
At the press briefing on Tuesday, The Pavlovic Today asked Miller where the line falls on the scale between limited and large-scale military operation that would make US tell Israel that the line has been crossed.
Miller responded by saying that the US had made it “very clear what our position is.” According to Miller, there have been extensive discussions with the Israeli government concerning the scope of the military operation in Rafah. Miller remarked that the nature of these talks have been “much more detailed than what we are willing to say publicly” citing “obvious reasons” for discretion.
“They know quite clearly what our position is,” he added.
The burning question now is whether Netanyahu will heed the warnings emanating from Foggy Bottom.
As US protests on college campuses reflect growing public sentiment against humanitarian disaster in Gaza and calls for a ceasefire amplify among progressives and Gen Z Democrats, the Biden administration is navigating a tightrope. Striving to balance its longstanding support for Israel with the evolving expectations of largely Democratic voters, the administration faces the challenge of reconciling these two contrasting dynamics.
Guterres: Haven’t civilians suffered enough death and destruction?
Concerns of the international community revolve about the displacement of civilians from Rafah and the challenges related to humanitarian aid.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stepped out on Tuesday with a strong call against the Israeli military operation in Rafah. “An assault on Rafah would be a strategic mistake, a political calamity, and a humanitarian nightmare,” he stated.
Guterres noted that more than 1,100 Israelis were killed in the Hamas terror attacks of October 7, following more than 34,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza. “Haven’t we seen enough?” he asked. “Haven’t civilians suffered enough death and destruction?” He emphasized that the international community has a “shared responsibility to promote a humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and a massive surge in life-saving aid.”
Earlier today Gutteras called on Israel and Hamas to “show political courage and spare no effort to secure an agreement now.”
The UN Secretary General said that this “crucial opportunity” no one can afford to miss.
That things are threading on an extremely volatile slope shows that Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on X Tuesday that the Israel government is “fully responsible for the attack on a Jordanian aid convoy en route to Erez by radical settlers who again committed their despicable crime unchallenged by Israeli authorities.”
Matt Miller said that Israel needs to hold those for the attack on a Jordanian aid convoy accountable.
“They need to make arrests in this case, hold people accountable and send a strong public message, as a deterrent, that they will not tolerate these attacks on convoys that are just trying to deliver humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians that need it.”
As events continue to develop, uncertainty looms over whether Israel will not go beyond a limited military operation, thus avoiding a scenario that would prompt the United States to reconsider its policy options.
