The U.S. has sharply criticized recent comments made by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich regarding the ongoing Gaza ceasefire negotiations. National Security Council's Communications Director, John Kirby, condemned Smotrich's claims that the proposed truce is a "dangerous trap" as both "outrageous and absurd." Kirby emphasized that such rhetoric not only misrepresents the situation but also endangers the lives of hostages and contradicts Israel's own security interests.
Smotrich had previously stated that a ceasefire would allow Hamas to regroup, potentially leading to further violence against Israelis. However, the U.S. argues that the deal, which has been brokered with the help of Qatar and Egypt, secures Israel's national security and brings the country closer to achieving its military objectives, including the safe return of hostages.
As Israel prepares to send a delegation to finalize the agreement, the tension between the Israeli government's factions and their international allies is evident.
this territory is moderated
Bibi will never allow a ceasefire, and certainly not before US elections. He's hanging on to power, and he knows if Harris wins the democrats will force him out. He will do everything possible to help Trump. People's lives, whether Palestinian women and children or Israeli hostages, aren't even part of the calculus.
reply
What did Eisenhower said in his farewell address ....
and now we are witnessing how the military industrial complex is squeezing the last drop of purchasing power out of the middle class via the fiat credit pump and proxy wars. Criticism is deflected via the propaganda media or bludgeoned by the police, see England! it's getting darker and darker, especially here in Europe
reply
I feel like England has taken such a dark turn, so quickly, that I can't wrap my brain around it. The only outrage I see and hear in the US is that "far right extremists" are rioting. No one bats an eye that expressing an unapproved opinion has been criminalized.
reply
England offers a small glimpse into the future for us continental Europeans too. that's what it all boils down to, that's the ambition of the eussr officials. nobody can deny that anymore since they openly attack platforms like Twitter and suppress free speech wherever they can
reply
I'm a Chinese American who grew up in both U.S. and Asia. From what I can see, the biggest problem is that (white) westerners cannot talk rationally about any race-adjacent issues. For example, immigration cannot be debated healthily because one side will always get called racist. Same with other issues like social welfare, education policy. Basically everything now. There can be no compromise or moving forward on issues if one side is perceived to be motivated by racial animus.
reply
the phenomenon is extremely pronounced in Germany in particular due to its history. the left uses every opportunity to discredit even conservative political positions in this way and to take them back into the radical right-wing corner. this is not how we experience discursive progress
reply
Tyranny is afoot
reply
How can Israel end it now? It will be a half won battle for them! Isn't it?
reply
It's difficult to put this puzzle together. The battle also could be half lost if the US won't intervene at a point on the escalation scale.
reply
Exactly, US can easily stop this war nonsense in Ukraine and in Israel if want to. But they don't have place for being called meak. For Israel, they are now saying to stop because, if Israel goes all out now, there will be no future of wars and eventually, no future for American War mongers in that region.
reply
Re: Ukraine, the Biden Administration has been trying hard to prevent Ukraine from actually winning. Notably, by going all out to prevent Ukraine from attacking Russian targets with US and even EU/UK donated weapons. For example, earlier this summer Ukraine asked the US for permission to attack a Russian airfield filled with planes just 150km from Ukraine with US ATACMS. The US refused, yet again, and those planes have gone on to kill hundreds of Ukrainian civilians.
The escalation excuse is nonsense. Ukraine has literally invaded part of Russia, and Russia hasn't responded. What the Biden administration wants is to engineer a "diplomatic" solution so their foreign policy administration bureaucrats can have their forever war to manage for the rest of their careers. Just like they got in 2014 when Obama refused Ukrainian please for help; Trump at least was willing to sell them weapons that successfully put a temporary halt to the invasion.
reply
Interesting perspective. I'm really not sure who's calling the shots here. Sometimes I think of Israel as the 51st state.
reply
If you ask a non-American, Israel is definitely the 51st state.
reply
The only difference is that if New York state gets told it's not allowed to invade Canada by the federal government, it would have to listen.
reply
Israel is obviously the one calling the shots. They're the ones at war. It's their men and women getting killed.
Israel is a nuclear power for gods sake, and a major arms manufacturer. The US can't stop them from defeating Hamas, and Iran, if they choose to do so.
The only thing the US can do is try to influence Israel to kill fewer Gazans and Iranians in the process. That's the purpose of all these arms deliveries to Israel: all these fancy weapons make it easier for Israel to defeat Hamas in a precise way, without just killing every single Gazan in the process. If Israel's only goal was to win at any cost they could have just blockaded Gaza, preventing food and water from being donated, and simply starved everyone until they were willing to exchange hostages for food.
reply
If only that was possible. The US government is bought and paid for by AIPAC. The elected officials do as they're told.
reply
Israel has almost got Hamas wiped out, along with all their tunnels and other terror infrastructure, and they can easily prevent the next generation of Hamas members from re-arming. Gazans can hate Israel all they want. Without weapons, they're mostly harmless.
A ceasefire now will result in the deaths of another 1000 Israeli civilians in another 10 years. Ceasefires are a high time preference option for politicians just trying to get through to the next term. Actually defeating your enemy is the low time preference option.
Ukraine is in a similar situation. They've tried ceasefires and treaties multiple times, with Russia breaking their word over and over again. A ceasefire now would be absurd. Defeating Russia on the battlefield and destroying their economy to prevent them from waging war again is the only way.
reply
Such an sad news for people in Palestine
reply
It's just absurd.
reply
Well, what do you expect. They just seem to want an endless supply of help.
reply
Like in the case of the europeans who are trying to draw the US (again) into their mess. Time for a directional pivot in US foreign poitics.
reply
As Trump said about Zelenski, who said that Zelenski is the most astute negotiator he had ever met, he arrives, asks for another $60 billion because he needs help, it is granted to them and he leaves again, and the game continues.
reply
It's the biggest money pump for the military complex
reply
Exactly. At this point the US is bought and paid for by whoever funds election campaigns, whether it's defense contractors, big pharma, or the AIPAC Israel lobby.
reply
Its bad. Its companies ruling the US, not the people.
reply
I don't think that all that money goes expressly to the military agreement.
reply
it never does. When a bolt cost a $100, where do you think the money goes?
reply
Well, he knows not to ask for US troops. So he just asks for what he knows he can get.
reply
Well, they do know what Zelenski wants. And Zelenski knows what the US will give.
reply
He has some cheek!
reply
I dont know if you consider that cheek. He just knows what he wants, what other countries will give. Its not his first rodeo.
reply
That money comes from our taxes, so for me, it's a bit cheeky.
reply
Do you agree with anything our taxes are used for? Why would this change your mind?
Time to make people pay for the US involvement. The US always seems to get shafted.
reply
BREAKING
EU’s Borrell Condemns Israeli School Attacks: "No Justification for These Massacres"
In a strong condemnation, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell expressed profound shock at the recent surge of violence against schools in Israel. With at least 10 schools targeted in recent weeks, Borrell emphasized that there is no excuse for these tragic acts.
reply