Title: Israel Prepares Proposals to Secure US Concessions Ahead of Blinken Visit
Israeli officials are scrambling to head off mounting frustration in Washington in the run-up to a potentially difficult meeting with the top US diplomat, Antony Blinken, by offering a series of policy proposals on Gaza. Critics say the plans lack detail or commitment, and the US is anxious to secure concessions from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to lower regional tensions and help avert a wider conflict in the Middle East.
The Biden administration has been pushing Israel to shift to lower-intensity military operations in Gaza that more precisely target Hamas, which took over the territory in 2007. Such a shift would contribute to reducing civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. In addition, the US is seeking assurances from Israel that it will allow more aid to reach Gaza, while also reining in outspoken far-right ministers who have called for the mass resettlement of Palestinians – rhetoric that the US has condemned as inflammatory and irresponsible.
During Blinken’s upcoming visit to Israel, he is expected to apply pressure on Netanyahu to do more to protect civilians in Gaza and to engage in a detailed planning process for the governance of Gaza once Israel’s military offensive ends. The US prefers the option of a revitalized Palestinian Authority taking control of Gaza and is pushing for new negotiations towards the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Antony Blinken is currently on a week-long Middle East tour, and the Biden administration is hoping to use the trip to seek reassurances and avert wider conflict in the region. Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant has suggested a plan that includes maintaining security control of Gaza, with an undefined, Israeli-guided Palestinian body running day-to-day administration. The plan also involves the US, the EU, and regional partners taking responsibility for the reconstruction of the territory.
While Israeli officials have offered some postwar proposals, critics say that they are not official policy and are unlikely to work. As the conflict continues, the international community, particularly the US, is closely monitoring developments in the region and is pushing for a shift in Israeli military tactics to reduce civilian casualties. However, the current situation in Gaza remains concerning, with ongoing airstrikes and shelling and the displacement of thousands of Palestinians.