ARAB AND WORLD
Tue 16 Jul 2024 10:17 pm - Jerusalem Time
Israeli media: Netanyahu sets new conditions for negotiations that Hamas will not accept
Israeli Channel 13 reported on Tuesday, citing a security source, that the occupation Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is setting new conditions for negotiations that Hamas will not accept.
The Israeli channel added that Netanyahu accused the security level of imposing US President Joe Biden's proposal on him.
In the same context, Israeli Channel 12 reported that Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevy, attacked Netanyahu, during closed security talks, after the latter accused the army in a press conference of not sufficiently activating military pressure.
Halevy said, “Netanyahu made dangerous statements, and I ask that he retract them and apologize.”
In the context of the ongoing negotiations to discuss a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of Israeli detainees, amid the controversial points, the New York Times quoted Israeli officials and a senior Western diplomat as saying that Israel and Egypt discussed the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Philadelphia axis on the border with the Gaza Strip.
The American newspaper promised this transformation, which might remove one of the main obstacles to reaching a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
It pointed out that the discussions between Israel and Egypt are part of a series of diplomatic moves aimed at reaching a truce and putting the Strip on the “next day” post-war path.
Controversial points
Negotiations on a truce appear to have gained momentum in recent days, but many points of contention remain.
One of these points relates to the duration of the ceasefire, as Hamas demands that the ceasefire be permanent, while Israel wants a temporary ceasefire.
Hamas also demands Israeli withdrawal from areas that include the border between Egypt and Gaza as a basic condition for a ceasefire.
The New York Times said that Israel's occupation of the Rafah crossing led to tension in relations between Israel and Egypt, which warned that this measure would cause great harm and may threaten Egyptian national security.
The occupation government shows reluctance to withdraw, saying that this would make it easier for Hamas to rearm its arsenal and re-impose its authority over Gaza.
Netanyahu said on Friday that he “insists that Israel remain on the Philadelphia Corridor.”
However, occupation army minister Yoav Galant suggested in a separate statement earlier this week that Israel might withdraw under certain circumstances.
The statement said, “There is a need for a solution that stops smuggling attempts, cuts off potential supplies to Hamas, and allows the withdrawal of Israeli army forces from the corridor, as part of a framework for the release of detainees.”
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Israeli media: Netanyahu sets new conditions for negotiations that Hamas will not accept