The move is part of Netanyahu’s strategy for managing ties with the Biden administration during the Israel-Hamas war, which features considerable foot-dragging on “tactical demands” made by the US, a senior Israeli official explained.
The premier has eventually acquiesced to a handful of these requests — particularly ones regarding humanitarian aid for Gaza — but not before forcing US officials to use up significant time and energy, depleting their capacity to push for the more “strategic demands” against which Netanyahu has held his ground, the official said.
The official pointed to Israeli decisions to allow aid into Gaza through Egypt and to reopen its Kerem Shalom Crossing as ones Netanyahu made after weeks of intensive shuttle diplomacy from top US officials.
“These aren’t popular steps to take when the hostages remain [in Gaza], but there’s a recognition that a minimal amount of aid needs to enter the Strip in order to prevent a humanitarian disaster that would force us to stop the fighting,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the premier has stonewalled Biden on planning relating to who will govern Gaza after the war, leaving the US with limited ability to advance its vision of bringing the Palestinian Authority back to the Strip as part of a diplomatic initiative that would also see Saudi Arabia normalize relations with Israel, which would in exchange agree to take irreversible steps toward an eventual two-state solution. READ MORE
