After two difficult and bitter weeks in the U.S. relations with Israel, which included harsh rhetoric, hard criticism from both sides, and reports of stopping certain shipments of weapons to Israel, there have been changes in trend and renewed rapprochement in recent days, combined with future optimism and mutual agreement.
This is reflected, firstly, in the American attitude toward the operation in Rafah. For months, the United States opposed the action in Rafah because of the fear of a mass attack on the hundreds of thousands of refugees taking refuge in the city, and because of its failure to believe that the IDF would succeed in bringing about a controlled evacuation and avoid mass casualties; but the operation began about two weeks ago, IDF forces were already approaching deep inside the city of Rafah, and the massive damage that was feared in the international arena did not take place. In fact, it seems that a vast majority of the refugees in the city managed to escape unharmed. According to a report in the Washington Post, this removed most of the American objections to continue limited action in the city.
The second aspect of this is in the legal arena – when yesterday, the prosecutor at the International Court of Justice announced his intention to file indictments and arrest warrants against Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Galant for war crimes, in the same line with Hamas leaders. This urged the United States to unequivocally support and support Israel, and at a ceremony in the White House yesterday, President Biden referred to the prosecutor’s statement as a ‘scandal’ and once again clarified his support for Israel’s war, and the need to eliminate Hamas leaders.
The third aspect of this is promoting normalization – in recent days there has been a report of a “breakthrough” in negotiations between the United States and Israel, and a talk about a “short distance” from signing an all-out deal that will include an American defence alliance with Saudi Arabia and recognition of Israel. The Saudis appear to have given up the demand for a Palestinian state on the ground, and are satisfied only on the declaratory level – but at the same time, there is an unequivocal demand to end the war in Gaza, while ending the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip. The details of the proposal should be examined by Israel, and if they are accepted, there is no doubt that this will be a historic breakthrough, and a difficult strategic blow to Hamas and Iran – since the stopping of normalization was one of Hamas’s goals in the first place.
