Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged tensions with historic ally the United States over the military offensive against Rafah in the Gaza Strip, but insisted the action was to protect Israel’s security.
“Yes, we do have differences on Gaza. More specifically, on Rafah. But we have to do what we have to do,” Netanyahu told CNBC’s Sarah on Wednesday. Eisen said in an interview. “And, you know, sometimes you have to… you just have to do what’s necessary to ensure your survival and your future. We can’t move forward into the future by letting Hamas retake Gaza.”
The United States and other countries have expressed concern about Israel’s deepening offensive against Rafah, citing concerns for the safety of Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Israel has repeatedly said its conflict is against Hamas and not non-combatants, but human rights and aid groups have highlighted the impact of military operations and lack of resources on civilians stranded in the Gaza enclave.
According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, more than 1,200 people have been killed in Israel since October. Meanwhile, more than 35,000 people have died in Gaza, according to the latest official statistics from the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
“I hope we can agree with the United States, we are talking to them, but ultimately we will take the actions we have to take to protect lives in our country,” Netanyahu said.
Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed that Washington could not support a military incursion by Rafah without a “credible” plan to protect civilians.
“Without a solid plan to get them out of harm’s way and support them, the president has been clear for some time that we cannot and will not support the Major military operations in Rafah. According to the reading From the U.S. Department of State.
The EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, said on social media on Wednesday that the EU “urges Israel to immediately end its military operations in Rafah, which are leading to more internal displacement, famine and human suffering. We condemn Hamas Attack in Kerem Shalom”.
Rafah Crossing
Israel remains at odds with neighboring Egypt over opening the Rafah crossing to allow new humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
“We will not postpone the opening of Rafah,” Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
His comments came after Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on social media on Tuesday that he discussed with his British and German counterparts on Monday “the need to convince Egypt to reopen the Rafah crossing,” noting that “preventing humanitarian Gaza, the key to the crisis, is now in the hands of our Egyptian friends.
Egypt has previously accused Israel of conducting military operations nearby, resulting in the continued closure of the Rafah crossing.
Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel aimed to destroy Hamas’ four remaining battalions. Earlier this month, Israel began its offensive on Rafah, which has 1.4 million displaced people in the Gaza Strip since October following a Hamas terror attack that same month, according to the United Nations. Take refuge.
The hostilities have heightened tensions in the Middle East, with Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and long-time rival Iran launching attacks against each other. The conflict has also rippled through global markets as attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels disrupted naval trade and continued uncertainty over crude supplies in the oil-rich Middle East.
That casts a shadow over prospects for normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which the United States has been eager to
The fate of the Gaza Strip
The final fate of the Gaza Strip, which came under full Hamas rule in 2007, also hangs in the balance. Netanyahu on Wednesday expressed opposition to a two-state solution supported by many international actors that would create an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
The Israeli prime minister stressed that such a nascent Palestinian state would be “immediately taken over by Hamas and Iran” and reiterated his support for an outcome in which Israel retains “overall security responsibility” for the Gaza enclave.
Netanyahu said this would give Palestinian civilians “all the powers of self-government without any powers that threaten us.”
The Biden administration has previously expressed support for “reviving” the Palestinian Authority, which controls parts of the West Bank.
“Reenergizing the Palestinian Authority is critical to achieving results for the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza and creating the conditions for stability in the broader region,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. March 29 said.
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