In his speech, Biden said his latest proposal “creates a better ‘day after’ in Gaza without Hamas in power”. He did not elaborate on how this would be achieved, and acknowledged that “there are a number of details to negotiate to move from phase one to phase two”.
Israel’s Supreme Court is hearing the cases against the military enlistment exemptions of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men as the Israeli military’s manpower has been strained by the nearly eight-month-long war against Hamas in Gaza.Credit: AP
Falk reiterated Netanyahu’s position that “there will not be a permanent ceasefire until all our objectives are met”.
Netanyahu is under pressure to keep his coalition government intact. Two far-right partners have threatened to bolt in protest at any deal they deem to spare Hamas. A centrist partner, ex-general Benny Gantz, wants the deal considered.
Hamas has provisionally welcomed the Biden initiative, though a senior official from the group, Sami Abu Zuhri, said on Sunday that “Hamas is too big to be bypassed or sidelined by Netanyahu or Biden.”
A day earlier another Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, told Al Jazeera: “Biden’s speech included positive ideas, but we want this to materialise within the framework of a comprehensive agreement that meets our demands.”
US President Joe Biden and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Credit: AP
Hamas wants a guaranteed end to the Gaza offensive, withdrawal of all invading forces, free movement for Palestinians and reconstruction aid.
Israeli officials have rejected that as an effective return to the situation in place before October 7, when Hamas, committed to Israel’s destruction, ruled Gaza. Its fighters precipitated the war by storming across the border fence into Israel, killing 1200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
In the ensuing Israeli assault that has laid waste to much of the impoverished and besieged coastal enclave, more than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed, Gaza medical officials say. Israel says 290 of its troops have died in the fighting.
Separately, dozens of ultra-Orthodox protesters blocked roads in Jerusalem on Sunday as Israel’s Supreme Court heard arguments in a landmark case challenging a controversial system of exemptions from military service granted to the religious community.
The court is looking at the legality of the exemptions, which have divided the country and threatened to collapse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition. A decision is expected in the coming weeks.
Most Jewish men and women in Israel are required to serve mandatory military service at the age of 18. But the politically powerful ultra-Orthodox have traditionally received exemptions if they are studying full-time in religious seminaries. These exemptions have infuriated the wider general public, especially as hundreds of soldiers have been killed in the war with Hamas.
Reuters, AP