www.vice.com “The Israelis remain adamant there should be no pause and don’t seem that worried about blowback from the U.S.,” a diplomatic source told VICE News.
Top U.S. diplomats continue to pressure Israel for a humanitarian pause or ceasefire in the month-long Gaza Strip operation to no avail, said a regional diplomat, despite warnings of erosion of U.S. public support as civilian casualties continue to rise.
In a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi Friday, Israeli media reported tensions over both the worldwide response to civilian casualties and fears the Israelis lack nuance in avoiding civilian casualties in urban combat environments. U.S. officials have pointed to their experiences in Iraq and Syria to suggest a more targeted, small-scale hunt for hostages and militants than a complete ground invasion.
“The Israelis remain adamant there should be no pause and don’t seem that worried about blowback from the U.S. administration or a fading of public support as civilian deaths mount,” said the diplomat, who spoke on background to be candid about diplomatic negotiations. “It’s a huge gamble for them. And Halevi rejected much of the advice from the American military on how to approach fighting in this [urban environment.] Support is still there but there’s a clear disconnect on both tactics and [long-term strategy].”
Read Full Article Here…(vice.com)
Home | Caravan to Midnight (zutalk.com)
Live Stream + Chat (zutalk.com)
