'Israel' superseded US role in calling shots in Middle East: NYT
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Four sources briefed on Israeli planning informed NYT that Netanyahu is waiting to see who will be president before committing to any diplomatic promises.
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US President Joe Biden and Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak during a meeting in Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, on October 18, 2023. (Anadolu)
According to a New York Times analysis written by Mark Lander, "Israel" has recently replaced the United States as the primary influence on policy in the Middle East.
Lander asserts that as "Israel" continues its airstrikes on Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza, US President Joe Biden's position is "severely limited".
"Israel, for better or worse, is dictating events in the Middle East. The United States has been relegated to the role of wingman, as its ally wages war on multiple fronts,” the analyst details.
The article contends that, rather than engaging in peacemaking efforts like his predecessors, Biden is mostly involved in minor cleanup operations, although he acknowledges that "Israel" still heeds some US cautions, such as avoiding attacking Iran's nuclear program.
Lander also explains how commentators believe this series of events is being noticed by US adversaries like Russia and China, noting that the US is not only impeded by Israeli actions but also by political uncertainty as the US presidential election nears.
Meanwhile, four sources briefed on Israeli planning informed NYT that Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is waiting to see who will be president before committing to any diplomatic promises.
West should restrain Netanyahu's 'spiraling offensive': FT
After the martyrdom of Hamas chiefs Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, Benjamin Netanyahu should have taken the opportunity to declare his alleged victory and reach a captive agreement and ceasefire in Gaza, an opinion report in the Financial Times suggested.
Instead, the Israeli Prime Minister has been unrelenting, worsening the crisis for Palestinians trapped in the strip, killing 42,924 and injuring 100,833 Palestinians.
Thousands have been displaced from their homes and the US has even warned it would suspend arms sales unless "Israel" actively allowed the flow of aid.
In addition, "Israel" continues its aggression in Lebanon, where it has failed incredibly at its attempted invasion, and launched an attack against Iran.
The FT noted that the Israeli occupation entity seems "locked in endless wars on multiple fronts."
Rather than influence the Israeli cabinet to cease this aggression, the Biden administration appears to be following Netanyahu's lead by calling for a truce in Lebanon one minute, then endorsing "Israel's" attempts at diminishing Hezbollah's power.
The FT pointed out that none of this promotes Middle Eastern stability or "Israel's" alleged long-term security interests. Although Hamas and Hezbollah can be severely harmed, they will not vanish.
As cycles of Israeli aggression produce new generations of fighters, it is obvious that when one leader dies, another takes over.
Even when a group's capabilities are depleted, it resorts to guerilla tactics. "Israel's" previous ventures into Lebanon are filled with examples of occupying troops being mired down by resistance.
The publication emphasized that Joe Biden should break the cycle of murder and devastation as the prospect of a full-fledged war in the region looms by the day. "It is in the West’s — and the region’s — interest to pressure Netanyahu to take the diplomatic off-ramps that are available."
