US President Joe Biden on Monday held a telephonic conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where the leaders discussed the possibility of ‘tactical pauses’ to provide civilians with opportunities to safely depart from areas of ongoing fighting and with assistance while enabling potential hostage releases.
According to the White House, the two sides welcomed the increase in humanitarian assistance over the past week and discussed the necessity to significantly ramp up deliveries over the coming week, including by increasing the capacity to screen and stage trucks going into Gaza.
The US President reiterated his steadfast support for Israel and the protection of Israeli citizens while also emphasising the imperative to protect Palestinian civilians and reduce civilian harm in the course of military operations.
“The President also discussed the situation in the West Bank and the need to hold extremist settlers accountable for violent acts. They agreed to speak again in the coming days,” said the White House in the statement.
This comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken completed a gruelling Middle East diplomatic tour after only “limited success” in efforts to forge a regional consensus on how best to ease civilian suffering in Gaza as Israel intensifies its war against Hamas.
Biden’s proposal for ‘humanitarian pauses’ in Gaza
In the Turkish capital of Ankara, Blinken met with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan following a frantic weekend of travel that took him from Israel to Jordan, the occupied West Bank, Cyprus and Iraq, to build support for the Biden administration’s proposal for “humanitarian pauses” to Israel’s relentless military campaign in Gaza.
“All of this is a work in progress,” Blinken said before leaving Turkey. “We don’t obviously agree on everything, but there are common views on some of the imperatives of the moment that we’re working on together.”
Last week, the US President called for a ‘humanitarian pause’ as calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war continue to grow over the rising death count in the conflict-torn Gaza Strip. “I think we need a pause,” said Biden after his campaign speech in Minneapolis was interrupted by a protester calling for a ceasefire.
Biden’s stance was a subtle departure from the US’ initial stance since the war broke out, saying that they would not dictate how Israel carries out its military operations in retaliation for the brutal attack by Hamas on October 7. The US has opined that calling for a ceasefire would result in the victory of Hamas.
The Biden administration, while remaining the strongest backer of Israel’s military response to Hamas’ attacks on October 7, is increasingly seeking to use its influence with Israel to try to temper the effect of Israel’s weeks of complete siege and near round-the-clock air, ground and sea assaults in Gaza, home to 2.3 million civilians.
Israel rejects ceasefire as tensions grow
Israel has rejected the idea of pauses while Arab and Muslim nations are instead demanding an immediate ceasefire as the casualty toll soars among Palestinian civilians under Israeli bombardments of Gaza.
It remained unclear, however, if Netanyahu would agree to temporary, rolling pauses in the massive operation to eradicate Hamas – or whether outrage among Palestinians and their supporters could be assuaged if he did.
Already Jordan and Turkey have recalled their ambassadors to Israel to protest its tactics and the tide of international opinion appears to be turning from sympathy toward Israel in the aftermath of October 7 to revulsion as images of death and destruction in Gaza spread around the world.
South Africa became the latest country on Monday to recall its ambassador from Tel Aviv and has even threatened diplomatic action against the Israeli envoy over the escalating situation in Gaza.
“A genocide under the watch of the international community cannot be tolerated. The Cabinet has decided to recall all South African diplomats from Tel Aviv for consultation. Another holocaust in the history of humankind is not acceptable,” Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said.
(with inputs from agencies)
ALSO READ | Blinken wraps up ‘gruelling’ Middle East diplomatic tour in Turkey with ‘limited success’