Biden’s desperation for ‘foreign policy win’ explains why Blinken jumped the gun on Gaza deal.
“The US administration is particularly eager to announce an agreement, driven by both diplomatic and domestic pressures,” Dr. Imad Salamey, an assistant professor of political science at Lebanese American University, told Sputnik, commenting on why Israeli officials haven’t confirmed readiness to accept Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s hostages-for-ceasefire “bridging proposal.”
“The Biden administration views the success of such an agreement as a potential foreign policy win, which could bolster its position ahead of upcoming elections,” Salamey explained.
By contrast, “the Israeli government may face significant internal challenges regarding the deal,” the observer noted, adding that “Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government is deeply divided, and any official confirmation could exacerbate these divisions, potentially leading to resignations or even the collapse of the coalition.”
“Thus, while the US is keen to publicize progress, Israel might be more cautious, weighing the domestic repercussions of any public acknowledgement of the agreement,” the expert concluded.
Israeli media reports indicate that the government will not agree to the US deal, and “at least in Israel, it’s clear to everyone that there will be no deal,” Tel Aviv-based international affairs observer Dr. Simon Tsipis told Sputnik.
“Netanyahu has started to refer to the fact that the point of the agreement that does not suit him is the Hamas demand that Israel withdraw its troops from the Philadelphi Corridor border” between Gaza and Egypt Tsipis said, referring to Tel Aviv’s unwillingness to let go of the border area to prevent the resumption of arms smuggling.
“But in my view, this is just an excuse for the fact that Netanyahu is not interested in making any deal with Hamas, no matter its contents,” the observer said, noting that for Netanyahu, the conflict has become not just a matter of political survival, but his personal freedom, given the criminal investigations inside Israel hanging over his head.
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