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Top Biden Aide Asserts US-Backed Ceasefire Deal Can Remove Hamas From Gaza
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during a press briefing, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Dec. 15, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday argued that the ceasefire deal currently being pushed by President Joe Biden to end the fighting between Israel and Hamas could result in the removal of the Palestinian terrorist group from power in the Gaza Strip.
Sullivan made the comments while speaking to a packed crowd at the American Jewish Committee Global Forum 2024 event. He asserted that the ceasefire plan will lead to a Gaza where “Hamas is no longer in power.”
The top White House adviser stated that the deal will pave the path for an “interim security enterprise” and an “interim governance enterprise” that will eradicate the terrorist threat within Gaza. Sullivan also claimed that the plan will help bolster Israel’s security concerns while improving Palestinian living standards.
On May 31, the Biden administration unveiled a new ceasefire deal to resolve the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. The three-phase deal would ultimately establish a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and flood the war-torn enclave with international aid to kickstart the rebuilding process. However, the proposal would seemingly leave a weakened form of Hamas in power, a condition that Israel has repeatedly refused to accept. Hamas leaders have also expressed doubt about deal, arguing they will not accept any arrangement that requires their disarmament.
Sullivan underlined the importance of securing the freedom of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza, citing the “pain and the agony” of their family members. He argued that removing the hostages from the clutches of Hamas is the Biden administration’s most pressing priority.
Beyond ending the war — which began with Hamas’ Oct. 7 invasion of southern Israel and rampage of violence — Sulllivan said a ceasefire in Gaza could open a “strategic opportunity” for Israel. The White House adviser explained that Israel’s Arab neighbors could “play a significant role in both stabilizing and reconstructing Gaza.” In addition, he said, ending the war in Gaza could open “the pathway for Israel’s full integration into the region” which would include “normalization” with countries such as Saudi Arabia. The “end result,” he argued, would embed Israel in a “regional security architecture” which would also help Europe and the United States in combating “common adversaries” such as Iran.
Sullivan added that the UN Security Council’s decision to pass the ceasefire proposal has placed additional pressure on Hamas to come to the table. However, he stressed, agreement from both sides of the conflict is “not a foregone conclusion.”
Noting the “work painstakingly done by the Biden administration,” Sullivan said the UN Security Council vote created a “diplomatic opening” that allowed the US to work with international partners to place the “spotlight” on Hamas.
While acknowledging that the Israeli government and public are apprehensive towards taking steps to establish a Palestinian state after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, Sullivan argued that a two-state solution is necessary to bolster the Jewish state’s long-term security.
“From the United States’ perspective, this is by far the most effective way to secure Israel over the long-term and to prevail in the long-term contest between friends and adversaries in this region,” Sullivan said.
Israel has acknowledged the Biden-backed ceasefire is flawed but indicated it supports the proposal, pledging it won’t stop its war effort until all the hostages kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists on Oct. 7 are freed and Hamas’ military and governing capabilities are destroyed.
On Tuesday, mediators Egypt and Qatar said they received a response from Hamas to the US ceasefire plan for Gaza. While details were not made publicly available, Reuters reported that Hamas proposed a new timeline for the deal.
The post Top Biden Aide Asserts US-Backed Ceasefire Deal Can Remove Hamas From Gaza first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Dozens of Terrorists Eliminated in Central Gaza, Weapons Seized from UN School in Raid
Some rises after an Israeli strike as Israeli forces launch a ground and air operation in the eastern part of Rafah, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 7, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
i24 News – Israel Defense Forces continue to operate in the Shejaiya area at the same time as fighting in the Rafah area and in the center of the Gaza Strip, the army said.
In the Shejaiya area, forces of the 98th Division attacked dozens of terrorist sites with the help of airstrikes from the Israel Air Force.
Over the weekend, Israeli soldiers raided a UN school in Shejaiya, where terrorists hid and stored weapons, grenades and valuable intelligence documents
This is yet another example of how Gazan terrorists use civilian structures to carry out attacks against Israeli forces pic.twitter.com/9oA9KLJehC
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) June 30, 2024
A UN school was raided where terrorists hid and stored weapons, grenades, and sensitive documents. In addition, a Hamas command center was discovered in a clinic.
Since Saturday, division forces located weapons, raided and captured terrorist compounds, and eliminated a number of terrorists.
IDF strikes Hamas target in Gaza
Israeli forces continue to operate in the Shejaiya area while continuing to push in Rafah and in central Gaza
The IDF attacked and destroyed a mortar launch position located within a tunnel shaft in Rafah pic.twitter.com/JqTACvuMys
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) June 30, 2024
The 162nd Division meanwhile continues in the Rafah area, eliminating a number of terrorists in various encounters and destroying tunnel shafts in the area.
The 99th Division 99 the center of the Gaza Strip carried out raids and destroyed terrorist infrastructure in the area.
Also on Saturday, an airstrikes destroyed a mortar launch position located inside a tunnel shaft in Rafah.
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Israeli Government Approves Danny Danon as UN Ambassador
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon at a briefing on Iranian aggression on May 6, 2020. Photo: Screenshot.
i24 News – The Israeli government unanimously agreed on Sunday to appoint Likud lawmaker Danny Danon as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, succeeding the current ambassador, Gilad Erdan.
Danon, who previously held this position, will soon serve a second term. Danon’s appointment to this important position comes at a particularly crucial time, as he is expected to represent Israel on the international stage as the country faces challenges at home and abroad.
“I am proud to return to serve the State of Israel as Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations during this critical period,” he said on Twitter.
“As Israel faces battles on numerous fronts, each and every one of us must do his utmost within his skills and experiences,” he said in an earlier statement. “This is how I have behaved in the past, and this is how I will continue to behave in the future.”
I am proud to return to serve the State of Israel as Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations during this critical period.
With Israel confronting challenges on multiple fronts, it is imperative for each of us to contribute to the best of our abilities and experiences. This…
— Danny Danon דני דנון (@dannydanon) June 30, 2024
“In the face of the diplomatic terrorism that is rearing its head these days, I am forced to present the truth and hold my head high for the people of Israel and our common future here,” he concluded.
It is expected that Avihai Boaron, a former member of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, will enter in place of Danon.
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‘Los Angeles Is Becoming Unsafe for Its Jewish Residents” Says Israeli Minister
Governor Newsom speaking at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. Photo Credit: Office of Governor Gavin Newsom.
i24 News – Amichai Shikli, Israel’s Minister of Diaspora and Antisemitism, has urgently called upon California’s governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles’s mayor Karen Bass to address a concerning escalation of antisemitic incidents in the city.
In a strongly worded letter sent following a surge in antisemitic activities since October 7, 2023, Shikli expressed deep apprehension about the safety of Jewish residents in Los Angeles.
“Los Angeles is becoming more and more unsafe for its Jewish residents,” Shikli stated, emphasizing the urgent need for proactive measures to combat the rising tide of antisemitism.
He highlighted recent violent demonstrations on campuses that endangered Jewish students, alongside two serious incidents that he believes were mishandled by authorities.
One incident he pointed to was the tragic murder of Paul Kessler in November 2023 during a pro-Israel demonstration. Shikli criticized the court’s failure to classify the attack as a hate crime, stating, “It is shocking to see that the court did not recognize this as a hate crime. Paul was attacked for the sole reason that he was a Jew and a Zionist.”
Additionally, Shikli referenced an incident earlier in the week where an anti-Israel group disrupted an event at Adat Torah synagogue, resulting in an attack on Jewish attendees. Despite prior knowledge of the demonstration, law enforcement allegedly failed to take preventive actions to ensure the safety of Jewish residents.
Concerned about the city’s largest Jewish community in North America, Shikli urged immediate steps to enhance security around Jewish institutions and to ensure law enforcement is adequately trained to handle antisemitic crimes effectively. “At a time when antisemitism is at an all-time high, I urge you to implement measures to combat it,” he asserted.
The minister concluded his letter by proposing collaboration with local authorities and inviting the Los Angeles Police Department to participate in an international training program aimed at equipping security forces worldwide to combat antisemitism effectively.
The post ‘Los Angeles Is Becoming Unsafe for Its Jewish Residents” Says Israeli Minister first appeared on Algemeiner.com.