After the six hostages, including American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, were murdered by Hamas, Joe Biden's response was unbelievable. Instead of condemning Hamas to reporters, he attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not doing enough. That, despite the fact that he has stood in Netanyahu's way of finishing off Hamas. He also said he was going to get around to talking with Netanyahu "eventually," treating our ally like dirt.
What he doesn't seem to understand -- or maybe just doesn't care about -- is that every time he does that and puts more pressure on Israel, that emboldens Hamas; It makes them think they have added leverage, and that makes them more recalcitrant.
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There's a new report that is just stunning in how clueless the Biden team is.
The Axios report says that the Biden team was "shocked" that Hamas killed the hostages, including Goldberg-Polin. Um, well, duh? They killed over a thousand people on Oct. 7; who did you think they were? Terrorists like Hamas don't want to stop attacking Israel or killing Jews. They've been blowing off every deal, trying to get more out of Israel, knowing that Biden is a pushover and will keep pressuring Israel.
Oh, and the White House also is reportedly shocked that Hamas has new demands and new threats. How ignorant are they?
Hamas has apparently upped their demands that Israel let more prisoners out:
- In previous rounds of negotiations there was an understanding that in the first phase of the deal, 150 Palestinian prisoners who are serving life sentences would be released. Now Hamas demands a higher number, the officials said.
- "We had a very frustrating process around that in Doha last week. Hamas presented demands that were different from what was agreed on in the past," a U.S. official said.
That's insane. So if you do that, you are letting even more people out to kill Israelis and maybe more Americans. And Hamas is saying 150 isn't enough; they want more. That's what happens when you negotiate with terrorists -- which is why we at least used to have the principle that we wouldn't do that.
It gets worse, Now they're threatening to kill more hostages:
“There’s a list of hostages, and we all have it, and Hamas has had it, and all the parties have had it. And there’s now fewer names on the list,” said the [senior Biden administration official], who described as “horrific” the killings of the hostages — whom Israel has said were shot at close range. “Hamas is threatening to execute more hostages. So this cannot be lost in what we’re dealing with here.” The bodies of the hostages were found by the Israel Defense Forces last weekend in an abandoned tunnel in Gaza.
The present deal on the table now includes letting out hundreds of prisoners:
Under the initial terms of the proposed three-phase deal, a specific number of hostages — including women, those over age 50 and the injured — are to be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel. Who is to be released and when, and the presence of Israeli troops along the eight-mile-long border between Israel and Egypt, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, are the most significant issues standing in the way of agreement, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.
Elements of the first phase of the proposed agreement now on the table include a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance flowing into Gaza, the hostage-prisoner exchange, and a temporary cease-fire, during which Israeli forces would withdraw from “densely populated” areas of the enclave.
That phase is to last for six weeks or longer, barring violations by either side, as conditions are negotiated for the second phase: a permanent cease-fire, withdrawal of all IDF personnel from Gaza and the exchange of more Palestinian prisoners for the rest of the estimated 100 or so hostages held by Hamas, about a third of which are already believed to have died. A third phase would continue reconstruction work in the devastated enclave and install a civilian Palestinian governing structure.
It's a never-ending cycle, if you agree to this.
This is what Netanyahu said a couple of days ago on the subject:
Must Watch Video Remarks from @IsraeliPM @netanyahu: "I was asked whether I am not doing enough to the release of hostages. Well, I want to set the record straight. On April 27th, Secretary of State Blinken said that, ‘Israel made an extraordinary, generous offer for a hostage… pic.twitter.com/yT1rHKbOCJ
— David Milstein (@davidamilstein) September 2, 2024
I want to ask you something. What has changed in the last five days? What has changed? One thing: these murderers executed six of our hostages. They shot them in the back of the head. That’s what changed! And now after this, we’re asked to show seriousness?! We’re asked to make concessions?! What message does this send Hamas?! It says, kill more hostages. Murder more hostages and you will get more concessions. The pressure internationally must be directed at these killers! At Hamas. Not at Israel. We say ‘yes’. They say ‘no’ all the time but they also murdered these people. And we now we need maximum pressure on Hamas.
It sounds like Hamas got the message from Biden. Netanyahu did throw a jab at Biden in there saying he "can't believe" that Biden would ask for more concessions. Translation: Stop being an idiot, Joe.
What is needed, as Netanyahu said, is "maximum pressure on Hamas."
That's the only way you break the cycle.
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