White House officials said on Monday they were “confused” and “disappointed” that Israeli leaders canceled a delegation to discuss U.S. concerns about its imminent planned invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
But they said they would use three high-level U.S. meetings with the Israeli defense minister in Washington to push their position.
“We’re a little bit confused by this,” White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said, acknowledging that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s abrupt withdrawal of his delegation was prompted by his objection to the U.S. abstaining from Monday’s U.N. vote vote decision. Fight for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“In light of the change in the U.S. position, Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided that the delegation will not leave,” his office said in a statement.
Since the conflict broke out more than five months ago, the United States has used its veto power in the United Nations Security Council to block similar calls for a ceasefire, citing its support for Israel’s right to self-defense.
“I repeat, our vote does not represent a shift in our policy,” Kirby said. “We have been very clear. We have been very consistent in supporting a ceasefire as part of the hostage agreement. That is the structure of the hostage agreement and the resolution recognizes the ongoing negotiations.”
But he also noted — repeating the word no fewer than six times — that the UN vote was “a non-binding resolution.” He said that meant “it has no impact whatsoever on Israel and Israel’s ability to continue to pursue Hamas.”
Meanwhile, as Kirby spoke Monday afternoon, Israeli Defense Minister Yov Gallant met with President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan at the White House.
Kirby said Galante also met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday afternoon and will meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday. He said officials would reiterate their humanitarian concerns at the meeting.
Ahead of Blinken’s meeting, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller echoed the administration’s statement that a full-scale invasion of Rafah would be a “mistake.”
“This would be a mistake, not just because it would cause enormous civilian harm,” he said. “We also believe that this type of invasion would weaken Israel’s security. It would make Israel less secure, not less Security. It will damage its standing in the world.”
Ahead of Galante’s scheduled meeting with Austin on Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder also said Rafa’s invasion would be a “mistake.”
He said Austin “still fundamentally believes in Israel’s inherent right to self-defense, and we will continue to support them in that regard, and that support is ironclad.”
“There are many ways to address the threat from Hamas that also take into account the safety of civilians,” he added.
VOA asked Jon Altman, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, how this flurry of high-level diplomacy might affect Israel’s plans for a large-scale operation in the crowded city of Rafah.
“Israel was not ready to move into Rafah, and it still isn’t,” he told VOA. “I’m sure the Israelis have concluded that they need to prove that they are ready to move into Rafah, even if they don’t end up doing that. Do.”
“I can imagine a number of ways in which Israel can feel that it has both met its needs and addressed U.S. concerns,” he said. “Whether Israel is willing to do that, and whether the U.S. would consider addressing its concerns, depends on how it is addressed This question.” Things are unfolding. “
Analysts say what happens in Rafah has wider implications for both countries and their leaders.
“If Israel continues to attack Rafah, Israel will be even more isolated,” Trita Passi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, told VOA. “But it will also give Biden additional domestic efforts to deter Israel. huge pressure.”
And, he said, Galante’s decision to go ahead with the Washington meeting also had political implications.
“Biden is seeking to divide the Israeli government and isolate Netanyahu,” he said. “Ironically, Netanyahu believes that a fight with Biden will be beneficial to him because he will be able to unite Israel’s right-wing voters.”
Melissa Kurma, director of the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program, noted that this complex political and diplomatic dance still means one thing: Washington and Jerusalem are talking.
She said: “Grant’s meeting with Blinken shows that both governments realize that dialogue must continue, and that canceling the delegation is more about bilateral negotiations.” [Netanyahu] and his political standing among right-wing factions that support the war and the Israeli public. “
VOA’s Jeff Seldin and Nike Ching contributed to this report.
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