Rift between 'Israel', rest of the world widening: Bloomberg
3 Min Read
The current Israeli leadership, the most extremist in the regime's history, diverges significantly from the desires of both the US and Arab states, which prioritize a swift conclusion to the war and seek decisive progress towards an independent Palestinian state.
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A man holds a burned Israeli flag, during a protest in front of the Israeli Embassy in Athens, Greece, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024 (AP)
Bloomberg reported on Thursday that the "disconnect" between "Israel" and the rest of the world is widening over the genocide in Gaza and post-war plans for the territory which are visibly clashing with those suggested by Washington.
The rift between the White House and "Tel Aviv" got further pronounced after Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told the Wall Street Journal earlier this month that US President Joe Biden did not do enough to support "Israel" in its genocidal campaign.
He noted that if Trump were to be President instead of Biden, he would have approached the matter differently.
"Instead of giving us his full backing, Biden is busy with giving humanitarian aid and fuel (to Gaza), which goes to Hamas," Ben-Gvir told the newspaper. "If (former US president Donald) Trump was in power, the US conduct would be completely different."
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich likewise criticized the Biden administration for imposing sanctions on illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, describing it as "anti-Semitic."
Read more: Netanyahu struggles to restrain genocidal remarks in cabinet: Politico
Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempted to pipe down extremists' remarks by thanking Biden for US support, he "refused to criticize his hardline ministers, whose parties are part of the ruling coalition and key to his political survival," the report notes.
On a second occasion, the rift widened further after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Netanyahu failed to agree on conditions for a ceasefire set by the Palestinian Resistance.
Blinken stated that Hamas's response to a comprehensive proposal "creates space" for a final agreement, although there are still various aspects to negotiate, including the duration of the ceasefire, the number of captives to be released from Gaza, and the total number of Palestinian prisoners to be freed from Israeli jails.
Netanyahu, on the other hand, said it would be "delusional" to accept Hamas' concessions, and vowed to continue the fight until the resistance is eliminated. While Washington does not dismiss such a goal, it has urged the regime to take further measures to prevent civilian casualties.
The report concludes by stating that the current Israeli leadership, the most extremist in the regime's history, diverges significantly from the desires of both the US and Arab states, which prioritize a swift conclusion to the war and seek decisive progress towards an independent Palestinian state.
Amid these challenges, the divide is growing wider, Bloomberg says.
Read more: Israeli plans to make Gaza 'buffer zone' war crime: UN
As this is being reported, the Israeli military is currently preparing to invade the city of Rafah in Gaza's far south, where more than one million Palestinians have sought refuge.
Blinken did not call on "Israel" not to bomb Rafah after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "alarmed" by the prospects of the plan, but voiced concern.
"Israel has the responsibility -- has the obligation -- to do everything possible to ensure civilians are protected," Blinken said.
