It would be very foolish for the U.S. to become involved in the post-war administration of Gaza. The Arab nations -- who make so much noise about the plight of the Palestinians -- should step up and be administrators. But we know already they are all noise and no action. The Palestinian Authority wants nothing to do with Gaza either. This is understandable considering that Hamas and Islamic Jihad have attacked the PA in the West Bank during the past few weeks, There is a reason no entity wants to step up and deal with a post-war Gaza full of pro-Hamas sympathizers. US preparing for ‘prominent’ role in postwar Gaza The idea was mentioned in a classified State Department document that outlined how the U.S. could help stabilize Gaza after a cease-fire. https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/23/us-postwar-gaza-00159723 The Biden administration is considering appointing a U.S. official to serve as the top civilian adviser to a mostly Palestinian force when the Israel-Hamas conflict ends, four U.S. officials said — a sign that the U.S. plans to be very involved in securing a post-war Gaza. The civilian adviser would be based in the region and work closely with the commanding officer of the force, who would be either Palestinian or from an Arab nation, the people said. Washington is still debating how much official authority this adviser would have, but all officials, granted anonymity to detail very sensitive discussions, stressed it is part of a plan for the U.S. to play a “prominent” role in lifting Gaza out of desperate chaos. The private discussions between the White House, Pentagon and State Department regarding the adviser role — which have not been previously reported — show that the Biden administration expects to be at the center of what happens to Gaza long after the guns go quiet. The U.S. would therefore be partly responsible for what comes next, including improving the lives of 2.2 million Palestinians who are suffering in the decimated territory. The adviser would never enter Gaza itself, the officials said — an indication of the desire to avoid any implication that the U.S. would be dictating the future of the territory. Two officials said the adviser could be based in Sinai and another said it could be Jordan. The proposal for the adviser and peacekeeping force also has been circulating within the administration for months. The U.S. is already a major player in the conflict, supporting Israel’s military campaign against Hamas while pushing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Now, during an intense planning phase, the administration is working to have multiple partners inside and outside the U.S. converge around ideas to stabilize postwar Gaza — namely to maintain security and avoid an insurgency that could plunge the enclave into more turmoil. The plan for the adviser is one of many being floated for “day after” scenarios, all four officials said, which includes others focused on growing Gaza’s economy and rebuilding flattened cities. While many of the plans involve some kind of peacekeeping force, debates still rage about its makeup and the authorities it will be given. “We have talked about a number of different formulas for some kind of interim security forces in Gaza,” said a senior administration official, “and we have talked to a lot of partners about how the United States could support that with all of our capabilities from outside Gaza.” The officials added that a cease-fire and the return of hostages must come first, a tall order as negotiations between Israel and Hamas have broken off with no sign of restarting. The Biden administration is trying to convince Arab states such as Egypt, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates to join the peacekeeping force, a second official said, as regional countries continually demand that the U.S. have a heavy hand in Gaza’s postwar future. “It’ll be easier to get them to come along if we’re there playing a part, and we’re prepared to play that role,” the official said about what Arab countries want from the U.S. The official added that there’s also broad agreement between the U.S., Israel and regional players to help form a Palestinian Council, comprising Palestinians from Gaza, to serve as an interim governing structure. Spain, Ireland and Norway plan to recognize such a state next week, an unmistakable sign that there’s growing interest among American allies to push for a sovereign Palestinian state. Israel must also support the establishment of the force in Gaza, a hard sell as Netanyahu and his far-right government oppose anything that has the trappings of a Palestinian state. It’s unclear what alternative there would be, however, as all officials agreed desperate conditions in Gaza require a peacekeeping force. A third official added that recent conversations with Israel and Middle Eastern partners is “how you transition to a more political phase and a stabilization phase” after the war ends. “We’re offering our ideas and concepts based on very broad and in-depth consultations that we’re having throughout the region on this question.” The current planning resembles ideas about the civilian adviser and peacekeeping force floated in a classified State Department paper obtained by POLITICO. In that March document, marked “SECRET” and not for the eyes of foreign officials, the State Department proposed the formation of the Temporary Security Mission for Gaza. The security mission “could be a hybrid model of police and Carabinieri/gendarmerie,” per the document, referencing the Italian law enforcement group responsible for internal security. “State recommends branding this as a security mission not a ‘force.’” The officials said that such a plan is still regularly discussed and factors into current thinking about postwar Gaza. The document was clear that the TSMG “should not be a U.S.-commanded mission” partly because it “would likely encounter fierce resistance by the Palestinian people given U.S. support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.” Instead, it should feature “robust Palestinian participation” — roughly 2,000 members — as well as 1,000 more from Arabic-speaking countries. The force would be led by “an appropriately senior officer” from either Israel, Egypt or the Palestinian Authority. Egypt would “ideally” agree to be the “Arab lead” of the force. Once the lead is identified, the nation would be responsible for the TSMG’s “mandate, composition and duration of deployment.” The U.S. would not send troops to Gaza, but the document proposes appointing an American civilian as “Director-General” to coordinate with Israel and help train and advise the force’s members. Washington would also provide intelligence support against threats, namely from Hamas and other Gaza-based militants. The force would start small in a “limited area of responsibility” focused initially on “key humanitarian assistance hubs” and then “gradually expand.” “The eventual geographic scope of the TSMG’s mission would be Gaza-wide,” according to the document. Vedant Patel, a State Department spokesperson, said “we don’t comment on purported leaked documents, which often do not reflect the state of play on any given issue at the department.” Gen. C.Q. Brown, the Joint Chiefs chair, on Monday offered a rare public rebuke of Israel’s military strategy, stating that chaos in Gaza is in large part due to the way the campaign has been waged. “Not only do you have to actually go in and clear out whatever adversary you are up against, you have to go in, hold the territory and then you’ve got to stabilize it,” he told reporters. National security adviser Jake Sullivan recently returned from meetings with senior officials in Saudi Arabia and Israel. It’s unclear if he discussed these and other ideas with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Netanyahu.
Opinion The theatrics of genocidal impunity Germany and the US are rendering a draft resolution on the Bosnian genocide meaningless with their position on Gaza Farhan Mujahid Chak Visiting Research Faculty at Georgetown University 22 May 2024 A general view of the United Nations General Assembly on May 10, 2024 in New York [File: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters] On May 1, a draft resolution was submitted to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to declare July 11 a day of remembrance for the 1995 Srebrenica genocide. The document was put forward by Germany and Rwanda and co-sponsored by the United States and other countries. It will be debated and voted on during a UNGA session on May 23. The actions the draft resolution lays out – including condemnation of genocide denial and prohibiting glorification of war criminals – are undeniably important and necessary. The proposal to have an official day of commemorating the Bosnian genocide comes amid historical revisionist efforts by officials of Republika Srpska, one of the post-war entities that falls within the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Republika Srpska authorities have tried to whitewash and cover up war crimes committed by Serb forces in the Bosnian war, including the massacre of 8,372 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica, then a designated UN safe zone. Its president, Milorad Dodik, has also engaged in various provocations, threatening the stability and territorial integrity of Bosnia. However, the timing and sponsors of this submission to the UNGA raise troubling questions that need to be addressed. Why has it taken countries like Germany and the US so long to come up with this resolution? And why are they pushing for it now, as they stand accused of complicity in what the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has described as “plausible genocide”? For years, the US and Germany – as well as other European countries – have ignored appeals from Bosnia to act on threats to stability and genocide denial emanating from Republika Srpska. They have even appeared to appease it, as well as its backer, the Serbian government, amid the tug-of-war with Russia over Serbia’s future with the European Union and its position on Ukraine. At the same time, they are credible and persuasive arguments that both the US and Germany have become complicit in the Gaza genocide by providing direct military, economic and diplomatic support for Israel. Just last month, the US Congress passed legislation that secured $17bn in military aid for Israel. As of March, the US had sent more than 100 weapons shipments destined for the Israeli army. Last year, Germany approved $354m worth of arms sales to Israel, a tenfold increase compared to 2022 – the increase being driven by exports after October 7. The US and German governments have continued arming Israel despite facing legal challenges and criticism at home. In February, a US judge found that “the ongoing military siege in Gaza is intended to eradicate a whole people and therefore plausibly falls within the international prohibition against genocide”, but had to dismiss a lawsuit against US President Joe Biden and other officials for complicity in genocide over jurisdiction issues. Germany has had to appear before the ICJ to defend its exports of weapons to Israel after Nicaragua accused it of complicity in genocide. Although the court did not impose a ban on these sales, it ruled that it has jurisdiction and the case should proceed. Meanwhile, a group of German lawyers, representing Gaza Palestinian families, have filed a criminal complaint against German officials – including Chancellor Olaf Scholz – for supplying Israel with weapons that they say aid and abet Israel’s ongoing genocide in their homeland. The US and Germany have also seen a wave of protests and occupations led by students in solidarity with the Palestinian people and in condemnation of their governments’ support for genocide. Students in both countries have faced violent crackdowns, as US and German authorities have sought to criminalise any criticism of Israel and slander those exercising their right to peaceful protest and freedom of speech. Of course, the German and US governments deny that what is happening in Gaza is a genocide. Both have intervened on the side of Israel in the case that South Africa brought before the ICJ. One has to wonder what is the point then of passing a resolution on commemorating a genocide while denying another is taking place. Remembrance is not just about keeping the memory of the victims of an atrocity alive but also about making sure it does not repeat. Germany and the US are rendering the resolution meaningless with their actions on Gaza. Worse, they are undermining and betraying the Geneva Conventions and international human rights law. Germany and the US are essentially politicising genocide. With their stance on Gaza, they are basically saying that none of their allies can be accused of committing genocide. This allows for any government, any group to get away with this abominable crime, provided that they have the “right” alliances. Shakespeare has said that “All the world’s a stage. And, all the men and women merely players.” In this genocidal tragedy, we seem to be in the final act: impunity. With their performance on the global stage, the US, Germany and other powers are ensuring impunity for Israel, but also for future genocidaires. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.
American hypocrisy: Biden and Blinken - "We've set red lines about attacking Rafa". So IDF then goes on to attack Rafa and America is silent, cowered as usual. If Russia or China were attacking Gaza like this "....Oh the war crimes...." Israel attacks Gaza "....That's war.....to be expected." Hypocrisy. Israel continues to bomb Gaza, including Rafah, despite ICJ ruling Dozens of Palestinians killed across the besieged territory as Israeli forces hit multiple targets from north to south. Palestinians search for survivors at the site of an Israeli attack on al-Daraj neighbourhood in Gaza City [Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP] Published 25 May 2024 Israel has continued its relentless attacks on Rafah despite the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering it to put an end to the military operation there, and multiple deaths were reported from central and northern Gaza, which have been subjected to renewed attacks.
https://www.politico.com/video/2024/05/21/biden-israels-actions-in-gaza-not-a-genocide-1309448 Driven by ideology, not common sense.
Once again Hamas puts out laughable propaganda. This time claiming they had kidnapped Israeli soldiers. It is interesting to see how quickly Israel publicly responded to this absurd claim -- almost like they prepared in advance for all of Hamas' typical Pallywood propaganda. IDF fooled experts in Gaza: How Hamas faked the soldier kidnapping claims Israel's immediate response to Hamas's claim of kidnapping an IDF soldier was almost as if it had been expecting these claims. https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-803700
Israel’s war on Gaza live news: ‘More than 30’ killed in Rafah strike By Mersiha Gadzo 26 May 2024 An Israeli army bombed a displacement camp in northern Rafah, killing at least 35 Palestinians, the Gaza Health Ministry says. The Hamas military wing launches a missile attack on Tel Aviv, triggering alarm sirens. Earlier, the Qassam Brigades said its fighters “killed and captured” an unidentified number of Israeli soldiers in Jabalia camp. The Israeli military has denied the claim. ‘They burnt people alive’ Survivors of the Rafah attack on the displacement camp have spoken to Al Jazeera about the Israeli attack. “I was walking and looking at my phone when the area was struck,” one survivor told Al Jazeera. “I did not realise what had happened. I had no idea what had become my family. My mother was with me, and my brother was injured at the camp. I fell to the ground and saw that my leg had been split open,” he added. Another survivor said the Israeli air raid “burned an entire block”. “They burnt people alive.” Israeli military says it acted according to international law in attacks on Rafah displaced The Israeli military says in a short statement that its attacks on Rafah that have left at least 35 dead, mostly women and children, targeted a “compound of the terrorist organisation Hamas in Rafah, where key terrorists of the organisation were staying”. It said the attacks were conducted “in accordance with international law, using precise munitions, and based on preliminary intelligence indicating the use of the area by Hamas terrorists”. The Israeli military added that it is aware of “claims” of a fire breaking out in the area housing UN shelters which led to “a number of non-involved people” to get injured.
The 'red line' that Biden and Blinken were preaching about, it doesnt exist, it was just the usual empty words.