The American network "NBC News" reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is rapidly losing the support of American lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties.

According to the network, supporters of Israel in both the Democratic and Republican parties are sounding the alarm about their loss of confidence in Netanyahu and his handling of the war against the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip.

The network indicated that one of the Republicans in the House of Representatives, whose name was not revealed, said, “It has become difficult to defend Netanyahu or justify his political strategy, and that there is a real lack of confidence in his leadership, not to mention questions about his ability to lead.”

The same source added, "He believes on a personal level that Netanyahu's political interest is to remain involved in the conflict, whether it is with Hezbollah or in Gaza, since any ceasefire, peace agreement, efforts to rebuild, or going out of the way will harm him." "Politically."

It pointed out that progressive lawmakers in the US Congress constantly criticize Netanyahu and the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip, but now these criticisms are coming from pro-Israel lawmakers who work on the main national security committees, and they are now expressing their frustration about Netanyahu’s leadership, albeit quietly.

The network touched on the statements of 3 American lawmakers who wonder whether the 74-year-old Netanyahu has a strategy to end the bloody war in Gaza, and indicated that the unpopular Netanyahu may be deliberately trying to prolong it in order to remain in power.

Earlier, NBC reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's proposal for normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, in exchange for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper revealed that the United States warned the Israeli Prime Minister that Israel's long-term security will only be guaranteed through the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The newspaper said, quoting Reuters, that US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that “there is no way” to solve Israel’s security problems in the long term, as well as organize the Gaza reconstruction process at the end of the war, without establishing a Palestinian state.

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in central Tel Aviv on Saturday, demanding the return of captured occupation army soldiers and settlers in the Gaza Strip and holding early elections to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The demonstrators marched in Habima Square, some carrying banners criticizing Netanyahu with slogans such as “The Face of Evil” and “Elections Now.”

The Israeli Prime Minister is facing intense pressure to return the prisoners who were detained by the Palestinian resistance on October 7 during Operation “Al-Aqsa Flood,” which came in response to the escalation of the occupation’s violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque and settler attacks in the West Bank.

Of the approximately 250 settlers and soldiers who were captured, about 100 of them were released during a truce at the end of November, and 132 are still prisoners in Gaza, 27 of whom died without their bodies being returned, according to a tally based on Israeli data.

An Israeli security official revealed early Saturday that the Israeli war government is on the verge of collapse, and Prime Minister Netanyahu is hesitating in his decisions and wasting time.

The British newspaper The Times said in an article that the Israeli war cabinet, which has been managing the military side of the war in Gaza since its fifth day, is now in its final stages, noting that the government was formed hastily by bitter political opponents in the days following the operation “Al-Aqsa Flood” on October 7.

The newspaper confirmed that throughout the past three and a half months, the war government remained cohesive despite the personal and ideological differences among its members, attributing the reason for this to the “severe emergency” that Israel was facing.

The Times explained that questions about the next stages of the war are now being asked and are causing this government to be torn apart, which are “whether Israel should continue the large-scale campaign against Hamas or choose a ceasefire that would allow the release of 136 prisoners still being held in Gaza, and who... "Should he be responsible for Gaza in the end? The day after the war."

According to the newspaper, Gadi Eisenkot, former Israeli chief of staff and member of the military cabinet, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of not telling the truth about military targets in Gaza, which reveals tensions in the leadership.

The article explained, “On paper, there are three full members of the war government: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, and Benny Gantz, the former defense minister and current leader of the centrist National Unity Party.”

There are two members of the government who act as “observers”: “Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, personally appointed by Netanyahu, and Eisenkot, who represents Gantz, in addition to the unofficial sixth member, Aryeh Deri, the leader of the ultra-religious Shas party, who attends most of the meetings.” . These six politicians are running the war on the Gaza Strip.

The Times noted that Netanyahu ostensibly heads a war government, but by all accounts, his main role is to try to postpone key decisions such as when a ground attack will be launched in Gaza, whether a preemptive attack will be launched against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and whether Will the first prisoner release agreement be accepted in November? What to do about a future swap deal.

“Netanyahu is hesitating, wasting valuable time,” says one knowledgeable security official in the cabinet. “His main fear is deciding whether to scale back the war — which would make the far-right parties in his government withdraw from the coalition and force early elections.”

The newspaper added that Gantz, who has been a political competitor to Netanyahu over the past five years, and according to opinion polls, would win the elections if they were held today. Early in the war, he maintained his position against directing a pre-emptive strike against Hezbollah, and was a supporter of the first prisoner exchange agreement, and is believed Israel must give priority to reaching an agreement to release the remaining prisoners, and agree, if necessary, to a ceasefire with Hamas.

It was Gantz who urged Netanyahu to form a war government to reduce the influence of the far right and unify Israel. But his aides warn that he is running out of patience, and when he feels he can no longer influence the decision-making process, he will return to the opposition and call for elections.

The article continued, "Gallant is the most hardline in the government, as he unsuccessfully pushed for a strike on Hezbollah and opposed prisoner exchange agreements. He is now the least able to hide his disdain for Netanyahu, whom he tried to dismiss last year, and he refuses even to appear at press conferences" with the Prime Minister unless Gantz joins them.”

As for Ron Dermer, Minister of Strategic Affairs, he is a former ambassador to the United States and Netanyahu’s closest aide. Unlike the other ministers, he did not serve in the Israeli army, and his main role is to support Netanyahu and carry out diplomatic missions on his behalf.

Aryeh Deri is the leader of the second largest party in the Shas coalition, but the Supreme Court does not allow him to serve as a minister due to his conviction for tax fraud. However, he is welcomed into the government because of his “calming influence” on Netanyahu. The Shas party leader has no military experience but has been sitting in Israeli ministries since his twenties. “Sometimes, only Deri is able to convince Netanyahu to make decisions,” says an aide.

As for Gadi Eisenkot, the former Israeli Chief of Staff, he is Gantz’s quiet political partner and agrees with him on most matters. Last month, his son Gal, a reservist in an IDF infantry unit, was killed in action in Gaza, and in an emotional interview on Israeli television, Eisenkot revealed for the first time the divisions in the war council.

Eisenkot explained in his interview with The Times newspaper that “in his opinion, Israel must accept a ceasefire as part of an agreement to release the remaining prisoners. Although such a deal has not been put on the table yet (and it is not clear whether Hamas will agree to this) "The Egyptian government is trying to convince both parties to accept it. Gantz and Deri also support this, but Netanyahu, Gallant, and Dermer oppose it."

The Times noted that there is similar disagreement over accepting the demands of the Biden administration and other allies that Israel begin work on a “day after war” strategy, which would include handing over control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority and a diplomatic process toward a two-state solution.

Eisenkot said such a discussion should have "started two and a half months ago." Netanyahu prevented any discussion in the Cabinet about this issue and publicly ruled out the possibility of anyone other than Israel assuming responsibility for security in the Gaza Strip.

The newspaper referred to the threats of Gantz and Eisenkot to withdraw from the war government, saying: “Gantz and Eisenkot have not yet announced a final date for their departure if the war government does not take a position on the prisoners, the ceasefire, and plans for the “day after the war,” but it may take days, or even weeks".

Eisenkot said in his interview: “I still feel that we are having an impact. I check myself every day,” and added, “Within months, we need to return to the Israeli public and renew confidence with it,” because Israel “needs to decide how to continue from here with a leadership that has failed completely and lost the Israeli public's confidence in the government."

A member of the South African advisory group stated before the International Court of Justice that he expected a ruling to be issued within a week on the lawsuit filed by his country accusing Israel of committing genocide crimes against the residents of the Gaza Strip.

The South African legal team said during the plea before the court that Israel has intensified its crimes against the Palestinians since 1948, and that it is subjecting the Palestinians to an apartheid regime, adding that the international community has failed to prevent genocide in Gaza.

During the pleading last December 29, the team pointed out that Israel's actions in the Gaza war indicate an intention to commit genocide, and that hundreds of families in Gaza were completely killed, and no individual remained alive.

In the same regard, Minister of Development Cooperation Caroline Jenes said on her account on the “X” platform that Belgium renews its “full support for the case before the International Court of Justice. If the court asks Israel to stop its military operation against Gaza, our country will fully support it.”

The Belgian minister said, "Our country bears its responsibility towards human rights and humanitarian law." Jennies pledged to remain committed to achieving the goal of ensuring the full delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza as soon as possible, at all levels.

She also stressed that her country will continue to strive, within the European Union and at the international level, for a permanent ceasefire, full access to humanitarian aid, the release of prisoners, compliance with international law and the two-state solution.

The US State Department asked Israel for clarifications regarding the killing of its citizen in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

A statement by the US State Department stressed the work to uncover the circumstances of the killing of the American citizen.

She indicated that a request had been submitted to the Israeli authorities to provide them with more information about the killing of the American citizen.

American citizen Tawfiq Hafez Hijazi, 17 years old, was killed on Friday by Israeli forces east of the city of Ramallah in the central West Bank.

The official Palestinian News Agency reported, citing a source at the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah, that “Tawfiq was hit by a bullet in the head, and his injury was described as critical, before his death was announced.”

Despite Israel's claims that its military operations only target members of the Hamas movement, it has killed 369 and wounded 3,500 Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since last October 7.

Israeli Channel 12 reported that an Israeli soldier who recently returned from fighting in the Gaza Strip shot dead a friend of his in the city of Tel Aviv.

The channel said that the soldier killed his friend inside an apartment, noting that the background was criminal and that the killer and the victim were both 25 years old.

It explained that the killer carried a licensed weapon, and the channel did not provide other details about the incident and its circumstances.

It is noteworthy that Israeli media have indicated in recent months that thousands of Israeli soldiers who were discharged from service in the war on the Gaza Strip are suffering from post-war shock.

At the beginning of this month, the Israeli Walla website published an investigation stating that 1,600 Israeli soldiers and officers are suffering from post-war trauma, with at least 250 of them having been demobilized, according to the investigation.

Last December, Israeli Channel 12 reported that an Israeli soldier, who had recently returned from the war in Gaza, shot his comrades in a room after waking up from a “nightmare.”

It said, "An unusual incident occurred... in a holiday village in Ashkelon, when a soldier from the Paratroopers Brigade woke up in a state of panic after seeing a bad dream. He opened fire on the wall of the room in which he was sleeping and accidentally injured a number of his comrades."

According to the channel, the occupation army decided "not to investigate the soldier who opened fire at this stage, due to his health condition."

It is noteworthy that British media reported data from the Israeli occupation army that friendly fire kills 1 out of every 5 dead Israeli soldiers in Gaza.

Israeli army data indicate that 17% of Israeli soldiers are killed either by friendly fire, or during incidents on the battlefield.

Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today, Saturday, that he will not give up full "Israeli" security control over all the lands west of Jordan.

The White House stated earlier that US President Joe Biden discussed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the latest developments in the Gaza Strip.

The White House stated that Biden and Netanyahu held a phone call regarding Gaza on Friday, in their first conversation in nearly a month amid reports of tensions between the two leaders.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper revealed that US President Joe Biden is hesitant to proceed with advice given by those close to him, by declaring his lack of confidence in Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, against the backdrop of the latter’s intention to prolong the war in the Gaza Strip for personal reasons.

According to the Hebrew newspaper, the Biden administration is frustrated by the prolongation of the war, and by the fact that Netanyahu refuses to discuss the next day in Gaza (after the war).

According to the newspaper, this comes at a sensitive stage in which Biden needs to achieve a diplomatic achievement to end the war before the start of the presidential election race.

Press reports stated that Netanyahu informed the White House that he opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state within the framework of any post-war scenario, contrary to the American desire.

The announcement revealed Netanyahu's recognition of the deep divisions between the two close allies, more than 3 months after the Israeli war against the Gaza Strip, as part of his effort to eliminate the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said, in response to Netanyahu’s statements rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state, that what is required of the United States of America is to recognize the State of Palestine, and not just talk about the two-state solution, and this is the appropriate time to do that.

Abu Rudeina added that Israeli government is not concerned with peace and stability, and still refuses to acknowledge the fact that peace will not be achieved without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the 1967 borders.

He pointed out that the UN Security Council resolutions, the General Assembly resolutions, and the international consensus made the State of Palestine an observer member in the United Nations, and the flag of the State of Palestine was raised alongside the countries of the world that recognized it.

Abu Rudeina stressed that the Palestinian people will not give up their legitimate rights, Jerusalem and its sanctities, and the establishment of their independent Palestinian state, no matter how long it takes.

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UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “Everyone must recognize the right of the Palestinian people to establish their state,” and any denial of this right is unacceptable.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations added during the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Uganda, today, Saturday, that “refusing to accept a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians, as well as denying the right of the Palestinian people to establish a state, is unacceptable,” and this would indefinitely prolong the conflict. It has become a major threat to global peace and security.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations stressed that "everyone must recognize the right of the Palestinian people to establish their state."

Guterres said in another statement published on the “X” platform, this evening, Saturday, “I will not back down from my call for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for humanitarian reasons.”

He added, "People in Gaza are dying not only because of bombs and bullets, but because of the lack of food and clean water, and the lack of electricity and medicine in hospitals," stressing that this must stop.

The New York Times on Saturday quoted some Israeli leaders as saying that the two main goals of the Israeli government, namely “eliminating Hamas and freeing the hostages,” are incompatible. “To eradicate Hamas, the military establishment will have to engage in a long war that will likely cost the lives of the hostages.”

After more than a hundred days of war, experts believe that “the limited progress made by Israel in dismantling Hamas has raised doubts within the senior military leadership about the feasibility of achieving Israel’s main wartime goals in the short term: eliminating Hamas and also liberating the Israeli hostages who cannot still in Gaza.”

The report notes that Israel has only established control over a much smaller portion of Gaza at this stage of the war than it originally envisioned in battle plans from the beginning of the invasion, which were reviewed by The New York Times. “This slower than expected pace has prompted some leaders to privately express their frustration with the civilian government’s strategy in Gaza, and led them to conclude that the freedom of more than 100 Israeli hostages still in Gaza can only be secured through diplomatic, not military, means,” according to the newspaper. 

“The dual goals of freeing the hostages and destroying Hamas are now incompatible, according to interviews with four senior military commanders,” who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak publicly about their personal views.

“There is also significant disagreement over the length of time Israel will need to completely eliminate Hamas – an arduous and time-consuming process in its fight from underground tunnels – and the pressure Israel’s allies are applying to quickly end the war amid mounting civilian deaths.”

The generals also said that the long battle aimed at completely dismantling Hamas would likely cost the lives of Israeli hostages who have been held in Gaza since October 7, when Hamas militants invaded Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people, including 311 soldiers, according to Israeli statements, and taking about 240 prisoners, according to the generals' Israeli estimates.

Hamas released more than 100 hostages in the last week of last November, but said it would not release the others unless Israel agreed to completely stop hostilities. It is believed that most of the remaining hostages are being held by Hamas cells hiding inside the underground tunnel fortress that extends hundreds of miles below the surface of Gaza.

Gadi Eisenkot, a former army chief serving in the war cabinet, on Thursday revealed a rift within the government when he said in a television interview that it was an “illusion” to believe that hostages could be rescued alive through military operations. .

“The situation in Gaza is such that the goals of the war have not yet been achieved,” Eisenkot said, adding: “For me, there is no dilemma. The mission is to save civilians before killing the enemy.”

This strategic impasse has exacerbated the military's frustration with the indecision of Israeli civilian leadership, according to the four commanders.

The commanders said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ambiguity about the post-war plan for Gaza was at least partly responsible for the impasse the army faces on the battlefield.

“Netanyahu has not yet made clear how Gaza will be governed after the war — and leaders said that without a long-term vision for the Strip, the army will not be able to make short-term tactical decisions about how to seize the parts of Gaza that it will control. The southern part of Gaza, which is located on the Egyptian border, will require greater coordination with Egypt, but three of the leaders said that Egypt is unwilling to participate without guarantees from Israel regarding the post-war plan,” according to the newspaper.

The generals fear that a long campaign - without a post-war plan - will erode any remaining support from Israel's allies, limiting their willingness to supply additional ammunition.

Foreign leaders have been alarmed by the death toll caused by the Israeli campaign: more than 24,000 Gazans were killed in the war, according to health authorities in the Strip, sparking accusations of genocide. Gaza officials did not mention the number of fighters killed, "but Israeli military officials say the number includes more than 8,000 fighters."

Families of hostages are becoming more vocal about the need to free their relatives through diplomacy rather than force. Some hostages taken in Gaza have since been declared dead - and it is not yet clear whether they were killed accidentally by Israeli forces or by Hamas.

Of the more than 100 hostages freed since the start of the invasion, only one was freed in a rescue operation. All the others were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners and detainees during a short truce in November.

By focusing its efforts on destroying the tunnels, the army risks making mistakes that could cost the lives of more Israeli citizens. Three Israeli hostages were killed by their own soldiers in December, despite waving a white flag and chanting in Hebrew.

The newspaper quotes Andreas Krieg, a war expert at King's College London, as saying that "basically, it is a state of stalemate." "It's not an environment where you can free hostages," he added.

"If you went into the tunnels and tried to free them with special forces, or whatever, you would kill them," Dr. Craig said. “You either kill them directly or indirectly, in booby traps or in an exchange of gunfire.”

Many of the tunnels have been destroyed, but if the remaining tunnels are left intact, Hamas will remain virtually undefeated, making it less likely that the group will release the hostages under any circumstances without a complete ceasefire.

The remaining alternative is a diplomatic settlement that could include the release of hostages in exchange for the release of thousands of Palestinians detained by Israel, along with a cessation of hostilities.

Belgium has announced that it will fully support the case brought by South Africa, which accuses Israel of committing "genocide", if the International Court of Justice decides to stop the attacks on Gaza.

Minister of Development Cooperation Caroline Jenes said on her account on the “X” platform: “Belgium reaffirms its full support for the case before the International Court of Justice. If the court asks Israel to stop its military operation against Gaza, our country will fully support it.”

The Belgian minister said: “Our country bears its responsibility towards human rights and humanitarian law.”

Jennies pledged to remain committed to achieving the goal of ensuring the full delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza as soon as possible, at all levels.

She also stressed that her country will continue to strive, within the European Union and at the international level, for a permanent ceasefire, full access to humanitarian aid, the release of prisoners, compliance with international law and the two-state solution.

Israel is facing a “genocide” case filed by South Africa before the International Court of Justice in The Hague on December 29, due to its actions in Gaza, which the United Nations described as a violation of international laws. However, Tel Aviv denies these accusations, claiming that it is only trying to Protecting its people.

A Palestinian citizen sustained bruises today, Saturday, as a result of a settler attack on a park on the outskirts of the town of Huwwara, south of Nablus.

According to local sources, settlers from the "Yitzhar" settlement attacked the "town of  Huwwara" Park under the protection of Israeli army, and beat a citizen, and he was taken to Rafidia Governmental Hospital.

The New York Times said that Israel's failure to achieve its main goals, more than 100 days after the invasion of Gaza, raises growing frustration among its military leaders and leads some of them to believe that the recovery of detainees in the Strip is possible only through diplomatic, not military, means.

The newspaper published a lengthy report that included a summary of secret plans for military operations and testimonies from military commanders and Israeli political officials about the course of the war.

The New York Times indicated that in light of the limited progress made by Israel with regard to dismantling the structure of the Hamas movement in Gaza, doubts are growing among the senior military leadership about the possibility of achieving the two main goals of the war; They are to eliminate Hamas and recover more than 100 prisoners still being held in Gaza, the most valuable of whom are believed to be held by the movement.

The newspaper explained that the Israeli army imposed its control in Gaza on a smaller portion than it had envisioned in its battle plans since the beginning of the war.

It said that Israeli plans included controlling the cities of Gaza, Khan Yunis, and Rafah by late December, which was not achieved.

It added that the pace of progress of the military campaign, which was slower than expected, prompted a number of Israeli military leaders to express their frustration with the political leadership’s strategy regarding Gaza, and this also led them to believe that the recovery of the remaining detainees in the Strip would only be possible through diplomacy rather than military means.

The American newspaper quoted Israeli military leaders as saying that recovering prisoners and destroying the Hamas movement have now become incompatible goals.

It also reported statements made Thursday by Israeli War Council member Gadi Eisenkot, in which he acknowledged that the goals of the war would not be achieved, and that the detainees could not be recovered through military means.

It pointed out that Israeli military leaders believed before the war that the network of tunnels built by Hamas extended 100 miles (160 km), but they now estimate that it may extend 450 miles (725 km).

Strategic dilemma

The New York Times quoted Israeli officials as saying that the strategic impasse exacerbated the army's frustration over the hesitation of the political leadership.

These officials said that the long battle to destroy Hamas would likely cost the lives of those detained in Gaza.

The Israeli military expressed to the newspaper their fear that the length of the military campaign without a post-war plan would lead to the erosion of allied support.

The New York Times indicated that by mid-January, Israeli forces had not begun to advance towards the city of Rafah, nor had they yet been able to expel Hamas fighters from Khan Yunis, knowing that both cities are located in the south of the Gaza Strip.

It also indicated the return of Hamas fighters to the northern Gaza Strip in recent days after the Israeli army said that it imposed control over the area and withdrew half of its forces that were deployed, estimated at about 50,000 soldiers.

Commenting on the New York Times report, he told an Israeli army spokesman that the statements reported by the newspaper from military officials do not express the army’s position.

This Saturday evening, Israeli settlers attacked sheep herders in the village of Al-Jawaya, east of Yatta, south of Hebron.

According to local sources, the settlers of "Atzkhar Man", established on the lands of the village of Al-Jawaya, under the protection of Israeli forces, attacked sheep shepherds, opened fire at them, and insulted them with obscene language.

He added that the settlers chased the sheep herders, and they are still present in the vicinity of their homes in the village of Al-Jawaya.

The number of killed, as a result of the Israeli aircraft bombing a vehicle on the North Burj-Al-Bazouriyeh road in the Tire district of southern Lebanon, rose to four.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that the bodies of two killed were recovered as a result of the raid that targeted the vehicle, bringing the number of killed to four, two of whom were recovered from inside the vehicle and the other two from the vicinity of the orchard adjacent to the road.

It added that Israeli reconnaissance aircraft continue to fly over the southern villages and towns adjacent to the Blue Line and in the airspace of Tire District.

By Muhammad Al-Minshawy

The position of President Joe Biden's administration regarding the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip since the seventh of last October raises a lot of astonishment and astonishment in American circles, both conservative and liberal.

On the one hand, members of the administration, such as Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, reiterate the principle of a two-state solution as the basis for any future settlement after the Gaza war, and on the one hand the administration continues to ship weapons and ammunition on a daily basis to Israel, and refrains from calling for a ceasefire. Fire, even after the victims of the Israeli aggression exceeded more than 25 thousand martyrs, most of whom were children and women.

One day after Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, publicly rejected the idea of establishing a Palestinian state, Biden stressed that it is not impossible to achieve a two-state solution even when Netanyahu is in power. Biden spoke with Netanyahu on Friday, conveying "his vision for a more lasting peace and security for Israel, fully integrated into the region, and a two-state solution while ensuring Israel's security."

Unrealistic vision

The White House is doubling its efforts to promote the idea of a Saudi-Israeli deal as a means to bring peace to the Middle East, through which the future of the Gaza Strip will be linked to this potential agreement.

Reports indicated the existence of an American plan indicating the possibility of securing reconstruction funds from the Saudis, Israeli concessions to the Palestinians, and Palestinian blessing for the deal as part of an urgent road map for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

In contrast to what Biden has confirmed since October 7, the arena of conflict has expanded, as Washington and its allies carried out attacks on Houthi bases in Yemen after the Houthis targeted cargo ships in the Red Sea, in response to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

Charles Dunn, a former White House and State Department official, currently an expert at the Arab Institute in Washington, and a lecturer at George Washington University, told Al Jazeera Net, “The foundations of the American perception are reasonable enough, but the administration has not shown any real interest in creating the conditions and creating a process to get there. "Except for regional normalization. They are very unclear about the nature and powers of the future Palestinian state, and what will happen in Gaza after this conflict ends, if it does end."

On the other hand, in an interview with Al Jazeera Net, former diplomat and international affairs expert Wolfgang Pusztai pointed out that “the Biden administration’s vision is certainly logical. However, these basic pillars could be the cornerstone of a plan that needs detailing, and it is not realistic for him to achieve anything.” "From the warring parties, his maximum demands are made."

However, Wolfgang said, "Realistically, I do not see a solution to the Palestinian conflict in the next 20 or 30 years. However, it makes sense to approach such a solution step by step."

Sarcasm and anger

In its editorial - yesterday, Friday - the Wall Street Journal, with a conservative orientation, mocked President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Tony Blinken's reading of the situation in the Middle East.

The newspaper, the most sober among the American conservative movements, confirmed that, contrary to what Biden aspires to, the Israeli people are not ready under the current circumstances to discuss granting the Palestinians a state, but the Biden administration continues to pressure them.

The newspaper accused Blinken of proposing a failed solution to the problems of the Middle East, which consists of proposing a regional approach, but it requires Israel to make difficult decisions. In other words, the newspaper says, “The October 7 attack, and the broad Palestinian popular support for it, demonstrated which party does not want peace, so why should Washington ask Israel to concede and commit to peace on its part,” according to the newspaper.

On the other hand, the progressive movement in the Democratic Party, led by Senator Bernie Sanders, is pressuring the Biden administration towards a ceasefire and stopping providing unconditional military aid to Israel, while examining Israel’s record in the field of human rights.

This trend is surprised by Biden's increasing awareness of the impossibility of eliminating Hamas militarily, yet his administration continues to send weapons and ammunition to Israel on a daily basis since October 7.

The protests, in which hundreds of workers within the Biden administration are participating, in addition to the demonstrations of hundreds of thousands in various American cities to pressure a ceasefire, are putting pressure on decision-makers in Washington, especially with many young people in American universities, and the Arab and Islamic community, pledging not to vote for Biden in the November elections. Second coming.

Asal Rad, a researcher at the Eurasia Group Foundation, told Al Jazeera Net, “It is difficult to know what the Biden administration is thinking, given its continued support for Israel’s actions, despite global protests, and the genocide case before the International Court of Justice. They certainly understand the importance of October 7th and its repercussions in terms of Israel's security and the harsh conditions of the Palestinians in Gaza.

She adds, "If they were aware of the damage to the credibility of the United States, the effectiveness of international law, and the damage to the reputation of the administration itself because of its refusal to hold Israel accountable for its actions in any way, they did not seem to care, and they have maintained the same position unchanged."

An ongoing dilemma

The US administration believes that it will be difficult to achieve any breakthrough in the rigid Israeli position under Netanyahu heading the most right-wing government in Israel’s history.

In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Hussein Ibish, senior researcher at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, indicated that “another Israeli government may be able to do what Washington envisions, if Israel understands the importance of all this for its security in the long term. It remains to be seen. But the goals here, certainly from the Biden administration’s point of view, are to send a message to the Israelis that Netanyahu is a big part of the problem, and that getting rid of him is absolutely necessary.”

Source: Al Jazeera

The European Union's foreign affairs and security policy official, Josep Borrell, prepared a ten-point road map in preparation for a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, according to what the European Euronews network revealed on Friday.

The focus of this map drawn up by Borrell is to hold a peace conference with the participation of the main actors, such as the European Union, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the Arab League, and the United Nations.

As for the participants, they will be in constant contact with Israeli and Palestinian officials, but the two parties will not initially “have to sit face to face.”

The document, which has not yet been published and is scheduled to be discussed by European Union foreign ministers during a meeting on Monday, includes a series of procedural steps that Borrell believes can ultimately achieve peace in the Gaza Strip, establish an independent Palestinian state, and ensure long-term security in the Gaza Strip. Region.

The preamble of the document stated: “In light of the current situation and despite the obvious difficulties, the time has come to prepare for a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace.”

The 10 points of the European road map

    This process should lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state “living side by side” with Israel, and the “full normalization” of relations between Israel and the Arab world.

     It helps international actors prepare a “ground for peace” and build a “renewed political alternative” to Hamas.

     International actors must hold “as soon as possible” a preparatory peace conference with the aim of resolving the ongoing war in Gaza, especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

     The conference should bring together foreign ministers and directors of international organizations to discuss the peace process, while holding “almost simultaneously” separate meetings with the parties to the conflict.

     The conference must form working groups and design a “preliminary framework” for the peace plan within one year.

      The plan should address “as closely as practicable” the essential elements of a comprehensive peace, building on previous UN resolutions and mediation efforts.

     The plan must provide “strong security guarantees” for Israel and a future Palestinian state, “conditional on full mutual diplomatic recognition and integration between Israel and the Palestinians in the region.”

      The Conference should consult the parties to the conflict “at every step and at any time” while formulating the peace plan. It is important to continue working on the plan even if one side decides to withdraw.

     Once the plan is ready, it should be presented to the Israelis and Palestinians, and the document notes that “they will have to negotiate the final text.”

     In parallel with this process, conference participants should strive to alleviate the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, secure the release of Israeli detainees, prevent regional escalation, strengthen the democratic legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority, and support the reconstruction of Gaza, among other goals.

A senior European Union official told Euronews, "Israeli officials are not talking at this stage about a two-state solution. They are only talking about war and the military goal of destroying Hamas."

He added: "We have to deal with that. It is our responsibility and our duty to look beyond that," referring to the peace plan that Borrell will propose.

The plan, which Borrell attended, attempts to place these obligations in a clear framework.

Although the road map that Borrell intends to present to European diplomats does not prejudge the essence of the potential peace plan, it does provide a coherent timetable for organizing a potential peace process, according to the European Network.

The goal of the road map is not only to end the current war, but also to address the root causes that caused the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the past seven decades, according to Euro News.

Deep European divisions

However, it is not at all certain that the 27 EU member states will adopt the plan, as capitals remain divided on how to address the conflict, or even talk about it.

The European Union is witnessing deep divisions over how to deal with the war launched by Israel on the Gaza Strip, and so far European efforts have been limited to calling for humanitarian truces, so that aid can enter the Strip, which is witnessing increasing destruction.

There is no European consensus on calling for a complete ceasefire, although more voices are joining this effort, but countries such as Germany believe that this immediate call could conflict with Israel's right to defend itself.

Earlier, Friday, Bloomberg reported that 5 Arab countries presented a “comprehensive plan” that includes ending the Israeli war on Gaza, and an initiative on the “day after” the war, with the support of the United States, while the Israelis, on whom the agreement depends, refuse to agree on the terms of the plan.

Eight officials stated in statements to “Bloomberg” that the proposal, which its authors describe as “the most logical solution for long-term security in the region,” is “out of reach at the present time,” stressing that “progress toward a solution will not be possible in light of the continued government.” The extreme right” in Israel, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The plan proposed by the Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and Qatar, along with Egypt and Jordan, includes pushing the Israeli government to work to establish a “Palestinian state.”

In this regard, “because the deal requires Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel, it reflects the historic agreement that Israel and the United States were about to sign with Riyadh before October 7,” according to “Bloomberg.”

Bloomberg said, "The plan that was on the verge of success must today challenge several obstacles, including the devastation caused by the Israeli war on Gaza and mutual accusations, not to mention the intensity of anti-Israel sentiment in the region."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied that he informed US President Joe Biden of the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state.

This came in a rare statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, which usually avoids making statements on the Sabbath, the holy holiday for religious Jews, in response to a report published on Saturday by the American CNN network, which said that Netanyahu told Biden that “his words in a press conference on Thursday were not intended to exclude any possibility of the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The statement, a copy of which was received by Anatolia, said: “In the phone call he made yesterday (Friday) with President Biden, Netanyahu repeated his coordinated position for years, which he also expressed during the press conference he held two days ago.”

He added that this position states that “after eliminating Hamas, Israel must maintain full security control over the Gaza Strip, in order to ensure that Gaza no longer poses any threat to Israel, and this clashes with the demand for Palestinian sovereignty.”

In their first phone call in about a month, Biden assured Netanyahu on Friday that “a permanent political solution between Israel and Palestine will not be possible except through the two-state solution,” according to a White House statement.

On Thursday, Netanyahu said in a press conference that he informed the United States of his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state “within any scenario for the post-war period in Gaza,” contrary to the American desire.

Netanyahu pledged to go ahead with the attack on Gaza until Israel achieves a “decisive victory over Hamas,” rejecting the idea of a Palestinian state, and saying that he “conveyed his positions to the Americans.”

Netanyahu said: “In any future arrangement, Israel needs security control over all the lands west of the Jordan River.”

He added: "The prime minister must be able to say 'no' to our friends," referring to the United States.

The United States called on Israel to reduce its attack on Gaza, and said that the establishment of a Palestinian state must be part of “the next day.”

The Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahouth, said, “There are two mothers killed in the Gaza Strip every hour,” while the spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, confirmed that about 3,000 women have lost their husbands, or have become breadwinners for their families.

Bahouth explained, in a statement issued today, Saturday, that women and children are the first victims of the tragedy in the Gaza Strip, which witnessed unparalleled devastation, and women and girls constitute the majority of the dead, wounded, and displaced.

She stated that estimates indicate that "about a million women and girls are displaced in Gaza, and two mothers are killed every hour, while about 10,000 children have lost their fathers."

Bahouth monitored the conditions in the occupied territories before and after October 7, 2023, and said, “The numbers indicated that 67% of the victims were men, and less than 14% were women and girls, and those numbers have reversed today, as 70% Among the martyrs in Gaza are women and children.

She promised, "These are people, not numbers, and we are failing them."

She added, "The trauma that the Palestinian people are suffering over these 100 days and beyond will haunt us all for generations to come. No matter how much we grieve over the condition of women and girls in Gaza today, we will grieve even more tomorrow if unrestricted humanitarian aid is not provided and the destruction and killing are not put to an end." ".

The UN official issued a call for "an immediate ceasefire on humanitarian grounds, and unhindered access of humanitarian aid to all residents of Gaza, including the provision of vital assistance and services to all women and girls."

She stressed that "the world is required to work for peace to prevail in the region, because the absence of change means that the last 100 days will be merely a prelude to the next 100 days."

For his part, UN spokesman Dujarric said, "Women and girls in the Gaza Strip are losing their lives and facing catastrophic levels of humanitarian needs, and about 3,000 women have lost their husbands in the war, or have become breadwinners for their families."

He added, “Today estimates indicate that about 70% of those killed in Gaza were women and children, and that at least 3,000 women may have become widows and heads of families, and that they are in dire need of protection and food assistance.” He continued, “Children constitute more than half of the population.” Gaza Strip, the percentage of displaced people exceeds 90%.

In turn, the organization's spokeswoman, Tess Ingram - after her recent return from a visit to Gaza - recounted her observations of mothers who bled to death, and a nurse who was forced to perform caesarean sections on 6 deceased pregnant women.

Ingram said that about 20,000 children were born in the "hell" of the Gaza war, and that "there is a child born every 10 minutes in the midst of this horrific war." She added, "Motherhood should be an occasion to celebrate. In Gaza, it is another child going out to hell."

She continued, "Seeing newborn children suffering, while some mothers bleed to death, should worry us all," stressing the need for urgent international action.

The Palestinian representative to the Arab League, Ambassador Muhannad Al-Aklouk, announced that an emergency meeting would be held at the level of permanent delegates, next Monday, to discuss developments in the war on the Gaza Strip.

Al-Aklouk said, “The Arab League Council at the level of permanent delegates will hold an extraordinary session, next Monday, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League in Cairo, under the presidency of the Kingdom of Morocco.”

He explained that the emergency meeting was being held "at the request of the State of Palestine, and the support of a large number of Arab countries, with the aim of discussing Israeli crimes and plans against the Palestinian people."

The United Nations announced on Saturday that the number of displaced women reached one million out of 1.9 million people who left their homes as a result of the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

UN Women stated, in a report on data on women and girls in the Gaza Strip, that 1.9 million out of 2.3 million people in Gaza were displaced from their places.

The report indicated that among the displaced were about one million women and girls.

He pointed out that "two mothers are killed every hour in Gaza," noting that about 10,000 children lost their fathers in Israeli attacks.

Today, Saturday, settlers beat citizens and stole sheep northeast of Ramallah.

The mayor of Ramoun, Ibrahim Suleiman, said that a group of settlers attacked sheep shepherds in the “Jisr al-Khala” area between Ramoun and Deir Dibwan, and severely beat them with sticks, which led to three of them sustaining bruises and fractures, and they were taken to the hospital.

Suleiman pointed out that the settlers stole a number of sheep from the area, before they withdrew from the place.

CNN quoted an informed source as saying that the administration of US President Joe Biden recently held discussions about establishing a potential demilitarized Palestinian state.

The source added that Biden believes that establishing a demilitarized Palestinian state is an interesting idea, stressing that Biden discussed during a phone call yesterday, Friday, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the possible features of the future Palestinian state that must be negotiated.

From yesterday evening until Saturday morning, the Israeli occupation forces arrested at least (22) citizens from the West Bank, including a woman from Jerusalem, and children.

Thus, the total number of arrests after October 7 rose to about (6,115), and this total includes those who were arrested from homes, through military checkpoints, those who were forced to surrender themselves under pressure, and those who were held hostage.

The Israeli forces continue to implement systematic arrest campaigns, as one of the most prominent established policies, which escalated in an unprecedented manner after the seventh of October, not only in terms of the level of the number of detainees, but also in terms of the level of crimes they committed, in addition to the raids into the homes of the detainees’ families, which are accompanied by sabotage operations. And extensive destruction.

US President Joe Biden said that he believes that a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians is still possible to achieve even with the current Israeli government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, in power.

“No, not so,” he said when asked if he thought such an outcome was impossible with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in office.

Biden's statements came a day after Netanyahu rejected the idea of establishing an independent Palestinian state once the fighting in the Gaza Strip ended, saying that Israel needs "security control over all lands," which contradicts "the idea of sovereignty."

Democrats expressed horror at those comments, but Biden said he believes Netanyahu does not oppose all two-state solutions.

Biden's statements came after he spoke with Netanyahu by phone for the first time in nearly a month about the ongoing war in Gaza and the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state after the war. The president nodded when asked if Netanyahu's refusal to create an independent Palestinian state was included in the call.

The White House confirmed that the timing of the call was coincidental.

“The President continues to believe in the promise and possibility of a two-state solution. He recognizes that it will take a lot of hard work,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said at a White House news conference. “It's going to take a lot of leadership there in the region, especially on both sides of the issue, and the United States is deeply committed to seeing that outcome eventually,” Kirby added.

He added: “It is clear that we are actively talking to them about post-conflict (post-war) Gaza, what governance should look like there, and the importance of an independent Palestinian state for long-term security, not only for the Palestinian people, but for the Israeli people as well.” 

The Biden administration reiterates its commitment to the two-state solution, “but Netanyahu’s recent statements have cast serious doubt on the feasibility of this vision,” according to administration sources, putting Biden and Netanyahu on a collision course over the scope of the Israeli war and the future of Gaza, further complicating Biden’s efforts to manage the policy crisis. Sensitive external.

Democratic lawmakers, led by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), are pushing to amend the president's multibillion-dollar supplemental national security budget. The amendment, which now includes 18 countries, seeks to ensure that countries receiving US military aid - including Israel - use weapons in accordance with US law, international humanitarian law and the laws of armed conflict.

In November, Biden said conditional aid would be a "worthwhile idea," but the administration quietly ruled that out days after the president's comments. When asked whether the president's position on conditioning aid had changed amid recent developments, Kirby told reporters that the administration's approach had "achieved results."

He added: "We will continue this approach, which is clearly ensuring that Israel has the capabilities that it needs and that continues, but also urging them at every turn, to be more precise, more targeted, more deliberate in terms of harm to civilians." “We are urging increased humanitarian aid assistance, and of course we are trying to put in place other humanitarian laws so that we can conclude a hostage deal,” Kirby said, arguing that at the request of the United States, Israel had moved to less intensive operations and increased humanitarian aid flows.

Kirby also said Biden and Netanyahu also discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas, as well as operations to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza “while maintaining significant military pressure on Hamas and its leaders.”

Q&A on the Hostage Issue

Q: Is there a possible deal to be made with Hamas that could bring all of the hostages home – alive and those already dead?

A: Yes. This is the deal:1. An end to the war2.⁠ Israeli ⁠withdrawal to the international border3.⁠ ⁠All of the hostages in exchange for all of the Palestinian prisoners

Q: Isn’t the Hamas demand to first end the war, withdraw all Israeli forces from Gaza and only then begin negotiations on the Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners?

A: Yes, that is what they are currently demanding. I am putting out a proposal that eliminates the time wasted and while at this time is not acceptable to Israel, once Hamas indicates that it would be acceptable to them, there is a chance of increased public pressure in Israel to made this deal possible. The idea is that the all for all deal is agreed on together with the Israeli agreement to end the war and to redeploy its forces on the international border.

Q: How would it work?

A: Israel will propose the above deal to Qatar and Egypt. Negotiations with Hamas would be on the terms and places of release of the Palestinian prisoners. Israel will demand that the release of hostages and prisoners be done in one batch – all for all at once. It could take a whole day or even several days, but it should not be stretched over a longer period of time. Israel should insist that it be done quickly.

Q: What other technical details are important in the deal?

A: Israel and Hamas would cease fire at an agreed date and time. Israeli withdrawal of forces would not happen until the ceasefire is in place and is holding. Israel will begin to withdraw its forces from Gaza to the international border. While that is happening, Hamas will provide Egypt and Qatar with a list of all of the hostages – dead and alive – all of them. Israel will provide Egypt and Qatar with a list of all of the prisoners. When the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza is completed, the exchange of prisoners and hostages will begin.

Q: Why would Sinwar agree to such a deal, aren’t the hostages his life insurance policy?

A: There are a lot of so-called experts sitting on the panels on Israel’s television stations all claiming to know exactly what Sinwar thinks and what he wants. The truth is that none of them know for sure. Everyone is basically guessing (including me) based on our own assumptions of who he is and how he thinks. It is not even 100% clear that the decision making is solely in his hands, although it seems very likely that he and Mohammed Deif have the final word. It is also fair to assume that Sinwar and the Hamas military command have surrounded themselves with hostages to serve as human shields, but we do not know that for sure.

Q: But if there is a deal, would they really free all of the hostages dead and alive or would they hold onto some as a kind of insurance policy?

A: Again, we have no way to know for sure. That will be the role of the mediators – the Egyptians and the Qataris and the International Red Cross. The exchange itself can be done in stages during the day or days designated and this would be monitored in real time by everyone involved. Prisoners would be released by Israel on an agreed to basis and schedule and would be staged in a way to increase the chances of complete implementation of the deal. For instance, the most valued prisoners by Hamas would be released last.

Q: What is Sinwar’s priority – his personal survival and the survival of the Hamas control of Gaza or the freeing of Palestinian prisoners?

A: We don’t know for sure. My assessment is as follows: Sinwar was the most important Hamas prisoner released in the Schalit deal in 2011, even though from the Israeli point of view, he was not that important, because he was imprisoned for killing Palestinian collaborators and not for killing Israeli Jews. Within Hamas, Sinwar was considered to be the most important prisoner. When he was freed and left many of his comrades behind in prison, he took an oath that he would free all of the Palestinian prisoners in Israel. He said that he would empty the Israeli prisons. He has repeated that promise in every important speech that he has made over the past 12 years. I have been negotiating with him, through Ghazi Hamad, since 2014, first for the bodies of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin and the for the release of Avera Mengisto and Hisham A-Sayed. From my experience with him, the only thing that interested him and the only thing that he was willing to discuss was the release of prisoners – especially those serving life sentences for killing Israelis. Israel offered money, electricity, water, jobs and more. Israel was willing to release several hundred prisoners, but not one who killed Israelis. For years the talks were deadlocked. Sinwar was uncompromising on this issue, and so was Israel. My analysis of Sinwar is that the keeping of his promise to release all Palestinian prisoners is his life’s mission – a holy mission as far as he is concerned. In my assessment, this is more important to him than his own life. He is prepared to die but he is not prepared to give up on the release of prisoners. Clearly, most people in the Israeli military-security establishment do not agree with me.

Q: If Sinwar’s survival is more important to him than the prisoners, can a deal be made?

A: From the Israeli point of view, the war cannot end with Sinwar alive and still in control of Gaza. That is what I understand from the Israeli officials. My assessment is that Sinwar believes that he will be alive at the end of the war, he will exit the tunnels and the bunkers and still be the leader of Hamas in Gaza. I hear from other Hamas spokespeople that they are convinced of their victory and of Israel’s defeat. Hamas believes that international pressure on Israel will bring about an end to the war before Israel has accomplished its war goals. Furthermore, they believe that the more Israel hits them and destroys Gaza, the more support Hamas will have in Palestine and in the neighboring Arab and Muslim countries. But it is also important to know that Sinwar has said, in his own words, that he knows he will die a shaheed (martyr) and it is important for him to die fighting Israel. This is why there has never been and there will never be deterrence against a force like Hamas. For them death as a martyr is the entrance to paradise, which is eternal. Life on earth is short and dying as a martyr for Palestine, for Allah, for Al Aqsa is the most important mission in life – it is the essence of life. People who view life in this way, the sanctification of death for a holy cause cannot be deterred and are not afraid of dying.

Q: Wouldn’t giving in to Hamas’ demands to end the war, withdraw from Gaza and release about 10,000 Palestinian prisoners be a victory for Hamas and isn’t that dangerous?

A: Yes, it would be a clear victory for Hamas. And a victory for Hamas is dangerous for Israel, for Palestine and even for Jordan and maybe for Egypt. Therefore, it must be a very short-lived victory. Bringing the hostages home is a victory for Israel, there is no victory for Israel if the hostages are not brought home. Ending the war and withdrawing from Gaza does not eliminate the possibility of Israel renewing the war the day after the hostages are returned. Certainly, it is easier to continue the war while it is ongoing and the Israeli army is in Gaza. Redeployment out of Gaza to the international border and then renewing the war is complicated and possibly can demoralize the army, the government and the country to remobilize the support and the energy need to complete the mission. But the motivation to complete the task of ensuring that Hamas will not continue to rule Gaza and will not have the military capabilities of ever attacking Israel again must be achieved. A victory for Hamas is existential for Israel, and therefore, Israel will be able to renew the war effort after the hostage deal is complete.

Q: Isn’t releasing so many Palestinian prisoners dangerous for Israel?

A: Yes, it is. Of the estimated 10,000 prisoners (more than 5,000 arrested in the West Bank since the beginning of the war) there are 559 prisoners convicted of murdering Israelis and serving life-sentences. There are also about 130 terrorists who were captured inside of Israel after October 7 and hundreds of Hamas and Jihad fighters have been captured inside of Gaza and brought into Israel since the beginning of the war. There is nothing that precludes the possibility of rearresting the released prisoners who continue to endanger Israel. There is nothing that prevents Israel from taking severe measures against any released prisoner that engages into terrorism action against Israel. That is why I propose the all of the released prisoners should be released to the West Bank where Israel has to ability to monitor and to rearrest any of the released prisoners that are dangerous to Israel. In the Schalit deal, all released prisoners were obligated to sign an undertaking that they would not return to terrorist activities. No one took that paper very seriously, but it did enable Israel to rearrest about 70 of those released prisoners in 2014. The same could be done now. The many employees of the Israeli Prison Authority along with the Shin Bet and the Israel Police can be deployed to monitor all of the released prisoners because so many of the prisons would be vacated and their jobs redundant.

Q: Wouldn’t rearresting the prisoners be a breach of the agreement between Israel and Hamas?

A: Yes, it would be a breach of the agreement, but so what? This is not a contract or agreement which has any validity in international law or common international relations. We have two parties, the State of Israel and Hamas that have absolutely no trust between them and no reason to trust each other. Why should we expect such an agreement to be unbreachable?

Q: Wouldn’t Hamas demand some form of guarantee that Israel would not renew the war after the deal is done and the hostages and prisoners are released?

A: Yes, but who would give such guarantees and why would Israel respect them? Who exactly would provide guarantees to Hamas that Israel would not renew the war? Egypt? Qatar? The US? Iran?? Why would Egypt provide such guarantees when Egypt also perceives Hamas as an enemy? And if they did, they would surely know that Israel cannot allow Hamas to continue to control Gaza and to threaten Israel. Such a situation is a danger to Egypt as well. The US would be in no position to provide guarantees to Hamas who is considered by the US to be a terrorist organization. Qatar is a country which has supported Hamas for years and hosts its leadership and has no diplomatic relations with Israel. So, I think we can remove the worries about guarantees.

Source: Times of Israel

More than three months into a conflict that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people, it is clear there is only one way Israel can return all of the hostages from Gaza alive: an “all for all” deal with Hamas – all of the hostages, an estimated 129 of whom are believed to be alive, in exchange for all of the Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

There are about 8,000 Palestinian prisoners now in Israeli jails. Of these, 559 are serving life sentences for killing Israelis, and another 130 were caught in Israel in the two days after the 7 October Hamas attacks.

The difficulty for Israel in releasing these prisoners is made obvious by looking at previous negotiated swaps. Many of those responsible for the terrorist atrocities on 7 October had previously been released in an exchange for the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011.

In recent days, there have been reports of a month-long humanitarian pause in which negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages can take place. An “all for all” swap would almost certainly be seen as an enormous victory for Hamas, but there is no victory for Israel if all the hostages are not brought home alive.

Of the 8,000 Palestinian prisoners, one in particular could play a pivotal role in achieving postwar stability. Marwan Barghouti, the former leader of the Fatah faction in the Palestinian Legislative Council, was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to five consecutive life sentences for five counts of murder, plus 40 years for leading the second intifada.

Barghouti refused to present a defence in his trial, maintaining that the process was illegal and illegitimate. In Palestinian public opinion polls over the last decades, he is the only candidate for Palestinian president who continually defeats every other potential candidate. Barghouti was behind the “prisoners’ document” written in May 2006 by all Palestinian factions, including Hamas. This document is still a potential basis for unifying Palestinian leadership in the postwar reality. Many believe only he is the only Palestinian leader who can build unity.

Before the second intifada, I spent hundreds of hours in dialogue with Barghouti. I have stayed in contact with him over the last 22 years through his lawyer, and I know that he supports the two-state solution and believes that the best outcome for Palestine and Israel would be reached through a negotiated agreement.

The question of who can govern Gaza after the war is one many are grappling with, but an interim period of stabilisation will have to be overseen by a combination of Arab countries and an international coalition.

The question will then turn to the withdrawal of Israeli troops. There is no good scenario for Israel after this war if its forces intend to remain in Gaza. Doing so would force Palestinians to create a local administration based on clan leaders, and uprisings against the Israeli occupiers would be guaranteed. Meanwhile, any Palestinian local administration seen to be collaborating with an Israeli occupying force would be labelled treacherous.

Source: The Guardian

The Israeli forces stormed most of the cities of the occupied West Bank at dawn on Saturday. The Israeli soldiers deployed around homes and main roads and prevented the movement of Palestinian citizens.

Nablus

At dawn on Saturday, Israeli forces stormed Balata camp, east of Nablus.

Local sources reported that violent confrontations broke out with the occupation forces, who stormed several neighborhoods in the camp, led by a military bulldozer, which carried out acts of sabotage on the internal roads. The occupation soldiers also raided several homes and tampered with their contents.

Later, the occupation forces sent military reinforcements to the camp, amid continued violent clashes.

Bethlehem

At dawn today, Saturday, Israeli occupation forces stormed the city of Bethlehem, the Dheisheh and Al-Azza camps, and the town of Al-Khader in the Bethlehem Governorate.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces stormed the city and were stationed in the areas of Al-Quds Al-Khalil Street and Bab Al-Zaqaq, and also raided Manger Square in the city.

The sources reported that the occupation forces stormed the Dheisheh and Al-Azza camps, and drove their vehicles through the streets and alleys of the two camps, without any arrests being reported.

It confirmed that Israeli forces stormed the town of Al-Khader, south of Bethlehem, raided a house, searched it, tampered with its contents in the old town of the town, and arrested the freed prisoner, Ahmed Al-Qaisi.

Qalqilya

At dawn on Saturday, Israeli forces stormed the towns of Azzun and Kafr Thulth, east of Qalqilya.

Local sources reported that the occupation army sent its military vehicles through the streets of the two towns and carried out raids, without any arrests being reported.

The death toll from the Israeli aggression on Gaza since October 7 has risen to 24,927dead and 62,388 injured, according to what the Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced on Saturday.

The ministry said in a statement published on the Telegram platform: “The Israeli army committed 14 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, claiming 165 dead and 280 injuries during the past 24 hours.”

The statement added: "A number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them."

On the 106th day of war: dead and wounded in the ongoing Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip

Dozens of citizens, including children and women, were killed, others were injured, and dozens of homes, buildings, residential apartments, and public and private property were destroyed in the occupation’s continuous bombardment in various parts of the Gaza Strip, by air, land and sea, as the aggression entered its 116th day.

The Israeli forces blew up a number of homes in the town of Al-Qarara, northeast of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, resulting in dead and a number of wounded.

Medical sources announced the death of a citizen, as a result of being targeted by a reconnaissance plane in Khan Yunis, while the areas of Bani Suhaila, Al-Zana, Abasan, and Batn Al-Sameen, east and south of the governorate, witnessed air strikes and artillery shelling.

The Israeli artillery also fired dozens of shells at the town of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip.

In an infinite toll, the number of dead since the start of the aggression has risen to more than 24,760 people, in addition to more than 62,100 wounded, and thousands of missing people.

The White House said that President Joe Biden, in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Friday, January 19, 2024, discussed developments in Israel and the Gaza Strip, in their first conversation in nearly a month.

In a White House statement, he explained that Biden and Netanyahu “discussed the latest developments in Israel and Gaza,” adding that he would publish a briefing on the call soon.

There are reports of tensions between Netanyahu and Biden, due to the war that has been ongoing since last October in the Gaza Strip.

This call comes a day after Netanyahu apparently rejected the idea of establishing a Palestinian state, a statement that would put him at odds with Biden's position.

“Netanyahu does not oppose the two-state solution.”

In another statement in response to a question about whether the two-state solution is “impossible” with Netanyahu in office, the US President said that establishing an independent Palestinian state is not impossible with Netanyahu in power, adding that they discussed the matter on Friday.

He added that Netanyahu does not oppose all two-state solutions, noting that there are a number of possible patterns, as some UN member states do not have armed forces.

The Israeli website Ynet reported earlier, citing unnamed sources, that those close to US President Joe Biden advised him to announce a “loss of personal confidence” in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, because the latter is “slow in ending the war” for personal reasons, and avoids discussing the issue of managing matters. In Gaza after the end of the war.

The report, which was published on Thursday, January 18, 2024, indicated that Biden had begun to “get fed up” with Netanyahu’s decisions, and his “patience was about to run out,” as the latter’s behavior sparked frustration in the White House, and officials there began to see that he was not putting Prisoners are at the forefront of his war goals.

It is noteworthy that reports reported by the American network NBC News, on Thursday, spoke of the desire of the American administration to bypass Netanyahu and cooperate with Israeli opponents to end the war in Gaza.

In response, Netanyahu said in a press conference: “Those who talk about ‘the day after Netanyahu’ are actually talking about establishing a Palestinian state with the Palestinian Authority, and this is what they are actually saying. In fact, it is not ‘the day after Netanyahu’, but rather ( "The day after exceeding what the majority of Israeli citizens want."

On the other hand, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that there is no way to solve the security problems facing the State of Israel, and restore stability in Gaza, except by establishing a Palestinian state.

Since last October 7, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war on Gaza, which, as of Friday, left “24,762 martyrs and 62,108 injured, and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” and caused the displacement of about 1.9 million people, i.e. more than 85% of the population. Residents of the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian authorities and the United Nations.

The families of Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip said on Friday that they had lost confidence in the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, according to official Hebrew media.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (official) quoted the families of Israeli prisoners in Gaza as saying that they had “lost confidence in Netanyahu and his government, and that they would conduct their own moves,” without indicating what they were.

The authority quoted a relative of the disappeared as saying, “Any delay in the negotiations puts their lives in danger.”

On the same level, the Commission indicated that “dozens of the families of the prisoners went to the city of Caesarea (north) to stage a sit-in in front of Netanyahu’s house there, where they will stay overnight.”

Former head of the Israeli intelligence service (Mossad), Tamir Pardo, said in a statement to the authority: “If Netanyahu decides to give up the prisoners, let him say it publicly in front of the public.”

He added, "If we end the war with 136 coffins, Israel will lose for the first time. Care must be taken to correct the state's abandonment and betrayal of its citizens."