Experts unanimously agreed that Washington’s decision to withdraw the aircraft carrier “Gerald Ford” from the eastern Mediterranean, despite the continuation of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, comes to put pressure on the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the need for it to submit to the American will.
The senior researcher at Tel Aviv Tribune Center for Studies, Dr. Liqaa Makki, said that the decision is directed to the Netanyahu government and is a message that Washington will not continue to support Tel Aviv forever unless it complies with the American will and the post-Gaza war plan.
Makki added that American support for Israel could gradually decrease, noting that this American offensive naval force served as a deterrent force against any party thinking of attacking Israel.
He pointed out that the field data has not changed, as a regional war is still on the cards, especially on the northern front with the Lebanese Hezbollah, stressing that the withdrawal of the aircraft carrier is due to the dispute that has become public between Tel Aviv and Washington.
Makki pointed out that there are indications that the Gaza war will be long, but not necessarily in favor of Israel, expressing his conviction that Netanyahu wants to prolong it until the US presidential elections, which may return former President Donald Trump to the White House again.
It is believed that the Gaza war did not reveal all its secrets, “as the resistance is strong and deepens the Israeli internal rift, and makes Tel Aviv look for a scapegoat after failing to achieve its goals.”
Anticipated compliance
For his part, expert in Israeli affairs, Dr. Muhannad Mustafa, said that the Gaza war has become clear that, from the point of view of the extreme right in Israel, it is not for deterrence, returning prisoners, or rebuilding Israeli security, but rather a project to restore settlement in the Gaza Strip.
Mustafa pointed out the escalation of talk by extremist ministers in Netanyahu’s government regarding the forced displacement of Gazans at first, before voluntary displacement was recently addressed, stressing the existence of Israeli confusion since last October 7, as there are no clear goals.
He pointed out that the Israeli national security system is based mainly on the support of the United States, adding that the deep state in Israel is the one that determines the security strategy, referring to the army, the Mossad and Shin Bet agencies, and some influential ministers such as the Minister of Defense.
Mustafa explains that due to Washington’s pressure, right-wing ministers in Israel have started talking about the necessity of liberation and independence from the American decision, expecting that there will eventually be Israeli submission to Washington and submission to its pressure.
It is believed that the Israeli Supreme Court’s cancellation of the “reasonableness” law will exacerbate the internal political crisis and make matters worse for the Israeli government, and may lead to the exit of Benny Gantz due to an expected right-wing attack on the court.
Meanings and convictions
In turn, military and strategic expert Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi said that the aircraft carrier “Gerald Ford” moves periodically and based on changing circumstances.
Al-Duwairi pointed out that he agrees with what Makki said regarding the implications of withdrawing the aircraft carrier, but at the same time he stressed that military cooperation between Washington and Tel Aviv is still at its highest level, and agreeing to sell artillery weapons is the most prominent evidence.
He stressed that there are real convictions established among the Israeli military decision-maker that the maximum effort has been made to achieve the goals, and that this level of war can only continue for weeks, so there is an insistence on entering the third phase of the war.
Al-Duwairi denounced the demands of right-wing Israeli ministers for the return of settlements to Gaza, recalling the experience of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in dismantling the Strip’s settlements, such as Netzarim and Gush Katif, where they were forced to withdraw under the attacks of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Islamic Jihad.
