The Huffington Post website revealed on Friday, December 8, 2023, quoting a US State Department official, that a state of anger is prevailing in decision-making circles in Washington. Because of what he described as Netanyahu's "burning" of America's reputation to advance his personal agenda, at a time when Washington Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that there was a gap between the Israeli government's declared intentions to protect civilians and the death toll, in his most public criticism of Israel's approach in its campaign in southern Gaza.

The official also indicated that US intelligence believes that Israel is continuing its operations despite Washington's calls for restraint, indicating that there are doubts that the current Israeli military campaign is bloodier than the attack in the northern Gaza Strip.

The American official added, according to what the site reported: “This is a pivotal moment in history, and we must feel angry about the way Netanyahu literally burned our reputation to advance his personal political agenda.” The American official also considered that the side effects of the Israeli occupation war against Gaza - on  American security - has very serious consequences.

Simultaneously, Blinken said in a press conference following his meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron in Washington: “As we stand here nearly a week after this campaign in the south it remains necessary for Israel to attach importance to protecting civilians. There is still a gap between intent and to protect civilians and the actual results we see on the ground."

US President Joe Biden spoke by telephone with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jordanian King Abdullah separately earlier. Meanwhile, the White House said that Biden "stressed the urgent need to protect civilians and separate the civilian population from Hamas, including by corridors that allow people to safely exit the designated areas where hostilities are taking place."

This comes at a time when the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip has killed more than 17,170 Palestinians and injured 46,000, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, since October 7, when Israel began bombing the Strip after a cross-border attack carried out by Hamas fighters.

cease-fire

At the same time, the Arab countries are renewing their efforts for an immediate ceasefire for humanitarian reasons in Gaza. The United States and its ally Israel oppose the ceasefire and say that it will only benefit Hamas. Blinken is scheduled to meet with senior diplomats from Arab countries such as Egypt on Friday in Washington.

The draft resolution was amended to stipulate “the need to protect the Palestinian and Israeli civilian population, in accordance with international humanitarian law” and “demand the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”

Adopting the resolution requires the approval of at least nine votes and the five permanent members not using the veto power, namely the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain. Washington said it does not support any further action by the Council at this time.

Opening the Kerem Shalom crossing

In a development that will help pave the way for more humanitarian aid to reach besieged Gazans who lack basic needs, the occupation has agreed, at the request of the United States, to open the Kerem Shalom border crossing to inspect trucks and inspect their cargo, an American official said.

Egypt and the United Nations are pressuring Israel to speed up the inspection process, which requires vehicles to go to the Egyptian border with Israel before returning to Rafah. The international organization says that the number of trucks crossing daily decreased to less than 100 from about 200 during the truce period, which lasted from November 24 to December 1.

The humanitarian truce also allowed the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli occupation prisons.

In Israel, Colonel Elad Goren told reporters: “We will open the Kerem Shalom crossing for inspection only. This will happen within the next few days.” Goren is the head of the Coordination Unit of Government Activities in the Territories, a unit of the Israeli Ministry of Defense that coordinates civil affairs with the Palestinians.

The Kerem Shalom crossing is located on the southern border of Gaza with Israel and Egypt, and was used to transport more than 60% of the cargo of trucks heading to Gaza before the outbreak of war two months ago.

With no end in sight to the fighting, White House National Security Assistant John Feiner said that the occupation has not set a final date for ending major combat operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

source: Arabic Post