Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear on Thursday that he has no interest in the proposals put forth by the United States, his country’s strongest supporter, regarding the Gaza offensive and the future after the war. In a nationally televised news conference, Netanyahu revealed a growing rift with the Biden administration and appeared to dismiss the idea of a Palestinian state—a condition set by other Middle East nations for normalizing relations.
Netanyahu stated, “In the future, the state of Israel has to control the entire area from the river to the sea,” referring in part to the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, which Palestinians envision as their future home. White House national security spokesman John Kirby responded by saying, “We obviously see it differently.” The U.S. has been advocating for a two-state solution, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasizing that Israel would not achieve “genuine security” without a pathway for Palestinian statehood.
Netanyahu rejected the American proposal, calling it an “attempt to impose on us a reality that will jeopardize us.” He also dismissed calls for scaling down the military operation in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 24,000 Palestinians and left many others on the brink of starvation, as Israeli forces pursue Hamas militants responsible for an October 7 rampage that ignited the conflict. Netanyahu asserted, “We will not settle for anything short of an absolute victory.”
Meanwhile, developments in the region include the Israeli military finding and destroying a “major site” of the Hamas manufacturing industry in Gaza, the European Parliament approving a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire conditional on the release of hostages and the dismantling of Hamas, and a “counter-terror operation” in the West Bank’s Tulkarem refugee camp where eight Palestinian gunmen were killed.
In Yemen, U.S. warplanes conducted strikes on two anti-ship missiles aimed at Red Sea shipping lanes, targeting Iranian-backed Houthi militants for the fifth time in a week. The strikes were deemed necessary due to an “imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region.” The ongoing conflict has seen more than 30 attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea since November 19.
Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, dismissed the global call for peace in Gaza, citing Israelis’ loss of trust in the peace process, which they perceive as glorifying terror by neighboring countries. Herzog, speaking at the World Economic Forum, emphasized Israel’s fight as a war for the entire universe and the free world. He warned that if Israel wasn’t there, Europe would be next, as “barbaric jihadists” aim to remove everyone from the region.
Supporters gathered in Tel Aviv to mark the first birthday of Kfir Bibas, who was seized in a Hamas-led rampage along with his family. Although Hamas claimed the family’s death, Israeli authorities have not confirmed it, and supporters are demanding efforts to free Kfir and the other hostages. Additionally, Pakistan’s air force launched retaliatory airstrikes in Iran, targeting separatist camps and resulting in at least nine casualties. The two nations have accused each other of providing safe haven to Baluch militant groups on both sides of the border.
The region remains volatile, with ongoing military operations, diplomatic tensions, and the plight of hostages, contributing to a complex and multifaceted situation.