Reactions continue to US President Joe Biden’s speech – yesterday, Friday – in which he announced that Israel had presented a new “road map” towards permanent peace in Gaza. Within Israel, there are multiple readings of this discourse, which reflects the depth of the differences.
According to Tel Aviv Tribune’s Ramallah bureau chief, Walid Al-Omari, readings in Israel indicate that the US President’s speech expressed great disappointment with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, and that he addressed Israeli public opinion from above the head of his government and its president.
Israeli Channel 12 said that Biden wanted to save Israel from itself.
Other Israelis believed – according to Walid – that President Biden revealed what they called the “Israeli trick,” meaning that Israel presented the proposal in the hope that the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) would reject it, and when it found that its response was positive, it tried to hide it.
Disagreements within decision-making circles indicate that Israel is on the verge of many interactions, and Biden’s speech came – Walid adds in his intervention – to push Netanyahu to take one of two decisions: either he will resolute and accept the proposal presented by Israel, or his government will begin to disintegrate.
According to Israeli readings, in his speech – yesterday, Friday – the American President spoke explicitly about the fact that there are those in the Israeli government who refuse to conclude a deal with the Palestinian resistance even on the basis of the Israeli proposal, which indicates that the approach of Netanyahu and his extremist government is to move forward with the war. Considering that he did not achieve any achievement on earth.
On the other hand, the families of the prisoners – according to the director of Tel Aviv Tribune’s office in Ramallah – were quick to thank the American President, and considered what was stated in his speech a glimmer of hope that might lead to the conclusion of a deal that ends the war in Gaza, and the end of the war is the basic condition for the return of all Israeli prisoners, according to the leader of the war. Labor Party, Yair Golan.
Yesterday, Biden announced what he said was “a comprehensive Israeli proposal for a ceasefire and the release of all detainees.” He said that the proposal consists of 3 stages, and stipulates a sustainable ceasefire, the release of Israeli detainees, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in the Gaza Strip, and the entry of… Aid.
In its first comment, Hamas announced that it viewed positively the proposal for a permanent ceasefire and the occupation’s withdrawal from Gaza.
On the other hand, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said that Netanyahu is determined not to end the war until all its goals are achieved.
