Blinken says US has not seen Israeli plans to protect civilians, post-war plans for Gaza

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

05/12/24 10:56 AM ET


Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday the U.S. has not seen any plans from Israel over how the country will protect civilians or the future of Gaza after the war.

CBS’s Margaret Brennan asked Blinken on “Face the Nation” about the U.S. holding back high payload bombs to Israel, among recent concerns about the Israeli military going into Rafah — where more than a million civilians were estimated to be taking refuge. When asked if the U.S. might still deliver those bombs, Blinken said the U.S. is in an “active conversation” with Israel about it and noted that they have “real concerns about the way they’re used.”

“We believe two things. One, you have to have a clear, credible plan to protect civilians, which we haven’t seen. Second, we also need to see a plan for what happens after this conflict in Gaza is open — is over,” he told her.

“And we still haven’t seen that because what are we seeing right now? We’re seeing parts of Gaza that Israel has- has cleared of Hamas, where Hamas is coming back, including in the North, including in Khan Younis,” he said. “As we look at — at Rafah, they may go in and have some initial success, but— but potentially at an incredibly high cost to civilians, but one that is not durable, one that’s not sustainable.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/international/4658981-antony-blinken-us-has-not-seen-israeli-plans-protect-civilians-post-war-plans-gaza/

[PSPS]

1. "Bibi" will continue his killing spree as long as it keeps him out of prison.

Reagan had to yank Israel's leash twice to rein in their crazies.

[onecaliberal]

2. His plan for them doesn't require food, housing, or healthcare.

The dead have no needs.

[AloeVera]

4. Neither do the living, apparently.

How many days now that no aid has been allowed in? Five? They have no need of electricity either. Complete blackout. Are there any journalists still alive? Evil deeds, done in darkness.

[Traildogbob]

3. This plan is

Fully approved by Lindsay Graham and nuclear destruction of civilians. I wanna see all these Palestinian-supporter protesters (I fully support) at the steps and in the faces of the Lindsay led GQP and the ass kissing BiBi fans.
Shout the genocide remarks at the Lindsay’s that say it out loud and proud. Maybe see the clips of the raging Fox Prime timers calling for impeaching Biden and condemning him for, wait for it, Not Sending Bombs for civilian death to the mad man BiBi.
So they should think what will happen under Trump GQP rule. Just my view which means nothing to many.

[AloeVera]

5. Many agree with you.

Fwiw

[Hieronymus Phact]

6. Intrestingly enough the army has had enough of netanyahu also

Josh at TPM has an interesting story about the lack of a plan:

It gets lost in the myriad headlines at the moment about Rafah, weapons cut offs, Biden, horrific civilian loss of life, etc. But there’s a short piece in the Times of Israel this afternoon that captures a dimension of what’s happening right now in Israel that is mostly off the radar in the U.S. The piece is about a reported blow up between Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi. Specifically, it has the latter telling Netanyahu that because he refuses to make diplomatic arrangements for the post-war government of Gaza, the IDF is having to go back to fight again in areas it already took over. In some cases they’re having to go back and fight for the same ground a third time!

(Here’s another article in Haaretz on how the IDF is now going back into northern Gaza, which they conquered back in the fall. Privately the IDF says Hamas has reestablished control there because there’s no day-after plan, which is a diplomatic to-do item. If you blow it up and leave why wouldn’t they just go back?)

Netanyahu refuses to do that because there’s really no way to plan for the future without blowing up his governing coalition. But without some plan, the Israeli army is reduced to doing something like pushing water up a hill with its hands. The article is replete with examples of heads of the army or intelligence services trying to get someone to give them a strategy, or actually more than a strategy, just a goal. And it has Netanyahu getting mad because they’re going to the defense minister, himself a former high-level IDF general. It’s not even a question of disagreeing on strategy really — that’s for the political leadership to decide. It’s refusing to come up with any strategy at all.


https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/tragedy-and-folly

[Lonestarblue]

7. When the war first started, several former IDF leaders said that Netanyahu's plan to eliminate Hamas would not work.

They were right. Hamas fighters are now popping up in areas already cleared by the IDF because they have tunnels allowing them to move around. The 2,000 pound bombs Israel used destroyed apartment buildings, schools, mosques, and hospitals but now the tunnels. Yet Israel continued using those bombs that caused the most civilian casualties. The photographs of Palestinian toddlers missing arms and legs are heartbreaking.

I fear that the attack on Rafah will just be more of the same—lots of dead civilians and the senior Hamas leaders elsewhere. Nor can the starvation of Palestinians be ignored. Closing the Rafah gate indefinitely will quickly lead to famine and death because there are no stores of food anywhere. Plus Israel bulldozed the olive groves, fruit trees, and food crops to deny Palestinians those sources of food. No Hamas fighters were hiding in the olives! That was just malicious.

People keep justifying anything Israel does to Palestinians no matter how horrific as deserved because Hamas attacked on October 7, equating everyone in Gaza including women and babies to Hamas fighters because they live in Gaza and thus must be accomplices. They are not.

Netanyahu continues this war because it benefits him. His goal of eliminating Hamas fighters will most likely not be accomplished without full genocide of the Palestinians. I don’t know how much longer world leaders will ignore his depredations because their populations are now against Israel, which is sad because there are many good people there.

[mymomwasright]

10. There are more misguided people than "good" in Gaza and in the West Bank.

Palestinian children have been and are taught to be martyrs for their people and the eradication of Israel is the main purpose of their life. What kind of society is it when a mother wishes for her son's glorious death? Israelis always have to be on guard against those who exist to kill them.
It'd be nice for a two state solution and peace, but the problem is the majority of Palestinians don't want peace or Jews as their neighbors.

[republianmushroom]

8. There maybe a good reason why the US hasn't seen a plan.

Plan, no need for a plan. There won't be any need for a plan.

[et tu]

9. no need for a plan

when there's beach front property to sell - soaked in blood.

[Mosby]

11. Congress recently budgeted 9 billion for Gaza humanitarian aid

And reconstruction. Does Blinken know what the plans are for that staggering amount of money?

[IronLionZion]

12. The plan is for them to leave Gaza

go to other countries, and never come back.

[Bettie]

13. There isn't a plan

well, not a plan they can talk about, but when the dust has settled and the right wing settlers move in alongside real estate developers, there won't be any Palestinians left.

BUT, Netanyahu will have to move on to the West Bank to stay in power.