ISRAEL Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday appeared to dismiss President Joe Biden’s call to begin a “de-escalation” of tensions with Hamas militants in Gaza, pledging instead to continue military operations as a part of “Israel’s natural right.”
“I am determined to continue this operation until its goal is achieved – to restore peace and security to you, the citizens of Israel,” Netanyahu wrote in a tweet in Hebrew, according to a translation. Netabyahu also said as part of the message: “I very much appreciate the support of these governments, and I especially appreciate the support of the President of the United States, our friend Joe Biden, for the right of self-defense of the State of Israel.”
His post came moments after the White House revealed details about a call between the two leaders earlier on Wednesday in which Biden said he expects, “a significant de-escalation today on the path to a cease-fire.” That readout, though short, represented the Biden administration’s first form of public pressure against Israel as violence in and around the Gaza Strip has escalated in recent days to levels unseen for seven years.
And it comes as Biden faces growing pressure at home to do more to encourage Israel to work toward a cease-fire.
Hamas has launched indiscriminate rocket strikes against cities in Israel and retaliatory strikes by Israeli warplanes that have flattened, among other things, civilian apartment buildings in Gaza. While Palestinians have suffered far heavier losses, dozens have died on both sides of the fighting – largely civilians – and hundreds have been injured.
The latest fighting sparked amid a dispute between Israeli police officers and Arab teens at the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem, considered among the most sacred sites in Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Tensions had been growing over Israel’s policy of evicting Arab citizens from territory where it has constructed Jewish settlements, arguably in violation of international law but which Israeli courts have upheld.
Speaking on “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Netanyahu dismissed reports that Egypt, traditionally a go-between in disputes between Israel and Palestinians, had offered a cease-fire from Hamas.
“Frankly, if Hamas thought that they could just fire rockets and then sit back and enjoy immunity, that’s false. We are targeting a terrorist organization that is targeting our civilians and hiding behind their civilians, using them as human shields,” said Netanyahu, who has come under heavy criticism at home for ongoing investigations into corruption and other wrongdoing and his failure to form a government despite four elections within two years.
“We’re doing everything we can to hit the terrorists themselves, their rockets, their rocket caches and their arms. But we’re not going to just let them get away with it. Neither would you. I mean, just imagine what would have happened if you had 2,900 rockets fired on Washington and New York and others. I think you would understand our position. I think you do actually,” Netanyahu said.
- USNEWS
