By Janet Ekstract NEW YORK- U.S. President Joe Biden is attempting to dissuade Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu from going ahead with a full-scale invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza on the border of Egypt. After a phone call on Monday, with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Biden summoned an Israeli delegation to Washington for an in-depth discussion on the issue. In a White House briefing on Monday, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the two leaders discussed the latest situation in Gaza and Biden reaffirmed his long-term commitment to Israel’s security. Regarding what was discussed during the call, Sullivan told the press that Biden expressed his concerns with regard to the 1.5 million civilians sheltering in Rafah who have no other place to go, Sullivan reiterated. Sullivan also made it clear that the Biden administration’s concern is that “Israel has not presented a plan” about how they would “feed and house all those civilians” and he said “Egypt has also expressed its concerns,” about a full-scale invasion there. Sullivan said the White House position is that such an invasion “would be a mistake” and cause more innocent civilian lives to be lost.
In terms of how the meeting might shape up, Sullivan said that Biden requested Netanyahu send top Israeli officials to “lay out an alternative approach” that doesn’t include any major invasion into Rafah. Netanyahu agreed to send a delegation, Sullivan said, adding “we look forward to those negotiations” and when asked when a delegation might arrive, he said either the “end of this week or the beginning of next week.” Sullivan also emphasized the U.S. will keep pressing Israel because the situation in Gaza is an “urgent priority.” When asked about a ceasefire and release of hostages, Sullivan said when that actually takes place that “We would look to build on that ceasefire to something more enduring.” He said that Biden and Netanyahu agreed to keep in touch and that their teams are in daily contact. In terms of ongoing negotiations, Sullivan remarked that talks continue in Qatar with teams from Egypt as well, stressing that “we believe a deal is possible and that we should be able to achieve it.” Sullivan told reporters that the U.S. has had “many different discussions on many different levels” but not yet had the opportunity to have an integrative, detailed discussion that would lead to a solution on the protection of “innocent human life” along with security for Israel and the Palestinian people. He added “There are ways for Israel to prevail in this conflict” and “not smash into Gaza.”
As Sullivan made clear: “Obviously, words aren’t enough, it’s action that matters,” he said when referring to the issue of humanitarian aid. He said the U.S. will continue “to press on Israel to see the kind of action we want to see.” The goal, Sullivan reiterated is in “connecting Israel’s objective to a sustainable strategy,” with regard to clearing Hamas from Gaza and admitted that evidence was clear that Hamas had been using Al-Shifa Hospital and other hospitals as a shield – also saying gunfire from Hamas was returned to Israeli soldiers from Al-Shifa. Overall, the situation between Israel and Hamas in Biden’s view, Sullivan explained is “not a question of political and public statements” but it’s “a question of policy and strategy.” Sullivan said the U.S. goal is to “secure a Palestinian state that indicates the aspirations of the Palestinian people and security for Israel” which he reiterated is in the interests of U.S. national security. Sullivan commented: “It’s the only solution to Israel’s future as a Jewish, democratic state – a two-state solution.” He also said that “we have indicated to the Israeli government that they have a responsibility under international law” to protect civilians as well as to the treatment and access to prisoners. Meanwhile, in a press conference on Sunday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said “We also have concerns about some of the operations and how they’re being conducted. We need to make sure that civilians are protected and secured, that civilian casualties come down, that more trucks and assistance get in and, of course, we’re still working on that temporary cease-fire to get all those hostages out,”
