Scoop: White House will propose alternative Rafah options to Israel

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Axios

1 hour ago


The Biden administration is weighing several alternatives to an Israeli ground invasion of Rafah, which it will propose to a high-level Israeli delegation set to visit Washington next week, two U.S. officials told Axios.

Why it matters: The White House requested the meeting to order to try to avoid an imminent clash between the U.S. and Israel, the officials said. Both Biden and Netanyahu have drawn "red lines" around an Israeli operation in the southern Gaza city, where more than one million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.

The Biden administration strongly opposes an Israeli operation in Rafah and has said it is concerned Israel doesn't have an implementable plan that will protect Palestinians.

Netanyahu has said Israel must go into Rafah to eliminate Hamas.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Monday that an operation could prevent entry of desperately needed humanitarian aid from Egypt to Gaza, isolate Israel internationally and harm the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty.

Behind the scenes: Biden caught Netanyahu by surprise when he proposed during their phone call on Monday that the prime minister send a delegation to Washington to talk about the Rafah operation. It was the first time the Israelis have heard about it, U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2024/03/19/israel-gaza-biden-rafah-alternative

[Turbineguy]

1. So Netanyahu will say

"It's a Biden approved operation!" and bomb the shit out of the place.

[maxsolomon]

2. Or not.

Do you really think one of Biden's options is "bombing the shit out of the place"?

[mpcamb]

3. Instead shut off the US aid faucet.