Israel is 'reviewing' Biden's new plan for the fate of the Gaza war

A political advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister stated that President Joe Biden's recent speech regarding the Gaza war was a 'political' address and that many details need to be examined. In his speech on Friday night, Biden proposed a framework for a lasting ceasefire between Israel and the extremist group Hamas, along with the release of all Israeli hostages in Gaza. Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the EU. Domestically in Israel, following threats from two parties in Benjamin Netanyahu's government to leave the coalition in opposition to Biden's announced plan, Avigdor Lieberman, leader of an opposition party in Israel, stated that Netanyahu offered him a position in his government as Minister of Defense. Meanwhile, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham urged Biden to clarify that the ceasefire proposal would not 'tie Israel's hands in destroying Hamas.' Biden's Friday night speech at the White House publicly outlined Israel's proposed plan to reach an agreement with Hamas. He called on Hamas to accept this proposal. The three-phase plan includes negotiations in the first six weeks to achieve a ceasefire, the release of Israeli citizens held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas in Gaza, increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, and then the end of the war and reconstruction of the strip. According to the Times of Israel, the details of the three-phase plan announced by Biden largely resemble a framework discussed in previous rounds of negotiations but also include some new conditions. While Biden emphasized that this plan was Israel's proposal during negotiations, Netanyahu insisted on Saturday that his government's objectives in the war had not changed: the destruction of Hamas's military and governmental capabilities, the release of all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza would no longer pose a threat to Israel. Netanyahu did not explicitly state whether he fundamentally agrees with or rejects Biden's announced plan. Ofir Falk, one of Netanyahu's senior advisors, told the Sunday Times that Biden's speech was a 'political' address 'for any reason.' Falk stated, 'There are many details that need to be examined, and until all our goals are achieved, there will be no permanent ceasefire.' This senior advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister added, 'The Gaza war began with the massacre that Hamas committed on October 7, and Israel's conditions for ending the war have not changed: the release of hostages and the destruction of Hamas, which is a genocidal terrorist organization.' In response to the new ceasefire proposal in Gaza, Falk added that while Israel has agreed to some aspects of the proposal and is very eager to free all its kidnapped citizens, it is 'not a good agreement.' Families of 125 Israeli hostages who have held widespread and ongoing protests during the eight months of war held another rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, supporting Biden's efforts and considering it a suitable basis for the release of the hostages. Representatives of these families urged Netanyahu not to miss this opportunity and to guarantee the release of their citizens, which they described as 'the result of Israel's failure' to defend its people's security. Thousands of other Israelis also gathered in support of Biden in Jerusalem, Haifa, Caesarea, and Beersheba. According to Haaretz, police clashed with some protesters who had blocked the entrance to a highway near the Tel Aviv Ministry of Defense, temporarily arresting at least one person, while six others were arrested in other cities. The Defense Ministry's proposal to Avigdor Lieberman, an opposition leader, was also highlighted. Lieberman announced on Sunday, June 4, that representatives of the Israeli Prime Minister had approached him with Netanyahu's proposal for him and his party to join the government coalition. Lieberman told Yedioth Ahronoth that he was offered the position of Minister of Defense and membership in the war cabinet. Having joined the opposition years ago over Netanyahu's 'appeasement' towards Hamas, Lieberman has been one of his staunchest critics. According to the latest weekend polls, Lieberman has gained significant public support in Israel. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Minister of National Security and leader of the 'Jewish Power' movement, and Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Finance and leader of the 'Religious Zionism' party, who are coalition allies, stated on Saturday night that by opposing Biden's announced plan, they threatened Netanyahu that if he accepted this solution, they would leave his government coalition, leading to its collapse. They described the plan as 'dangerous,' a 'victory for terrorism,' and a 'security threat.' Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that Biden's plan might change the position of the 'National Unity' party regarding leaving the government, and its leaders might remain in the government coalition. Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, two key figures in the 'National Unity' party and two members of the five-member war cabinet, warned Netanyahu that if he did not change his strategy in managing the war and the country by June 7, they would leave his government coalition. However, reports from Kan and Channel 12 Israeli television indicated that Biden's plan, which is supported by Gantz and Eisenkot, has made them hesitant to leave the government, and they will stay alongside Netanyahu if he accepts the plan. Yair Lapid, the main opposition leader in Israel, in his messages and interviews over the past two days, has urged Netanyahu not to succumb to the threats of right-wingers in his coalition government and to accept the agreement to facilitate the release of Israeli hostages. Additionally, Isaac Herzog, the President of Israel, stated on Sunday that he would support Netanyahu if he made the deal. Herzog, whose position is ceremonial, has supported efforts to free the hostages since the beginning of the crisis that led to the Israeli army's war in Gaza, and he has been a key reference for the families of the hostages. Responses from the West included British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who said on Saturday in reaction to Biden's speech that it is clear that Gaza cannot remain under Hamas's rule. Cameron stated that Hamas must accept this agreement, and it is important that we use calm in the war to achieve a lasting ceasefire and a political solution to this long-standing conflict. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, in a post on X, urged Biden to clarify that the ceasefire proposal would not prevent Israel from its military efforts to destroy Hamas. He wrote, 'The permanent defeat of Hamas, a savage terrorist organization, is not only beneficial for the region but also for the United States.' Graham added that President Biden must clarify that the ceasefire proposal will ensure that Hamas will have no role in the future. Graham and another Republican politician, Nikki Haley, expressed their support for Israel during separate visits to the country last week amid the war with Hamas. Hamas, which is recognized as a terrorist organization by the U.S., the UK, and the EU, has stated that it views Biden's plan positively. The Gaza war entered its 240th day on June 3, as a security delegation from Israel traveled to Cairo to negotiate with representatives from Egypt and Qatar regarding the Rafah crossing. The Israeli army completed its operational control over the Rafah border in southern Gaza last week. Negotiations for reopening the Rafah border crossing are set to take place on Sunday between Egyptian and Israeli representatives after about a month of closure. The Cairo News Network, which is close to the Egyptian government, reported on Saturday that this negotiation will take place in Cairo, and Egypt insists that Israeli forces completely withdraw from the Palestinian side of the Gaza-Egypt border. This source emphasized that Egyptian officials have informed all parties that until Israel relinquishes control of this border crossing, Cairo will not agree to reopen Rafah, which is the main route for aid to the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported on Friday that the country has agreed to help reopen the Rafah crossing by withdrawing its forces from the border and has reached an agreement with Egypt for this purpose. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged that despite U.S. efforts to transfer more aid, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains 'dire' as Israeli attacks continue in the city of Rafah. He reminded on Friday that the number of trucks carrying humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip has increased, but the distribution of aid in the region is still challenging. Continuing clashes with Hezbollah in Lebanon followed the group's downing of an advanced Israeli drone and simultaneous rocket attacks on a military base in the north of the country on Saturday, June 3. Israeli media reported retaliatory airstrikes by Israeli fighter jets on Hezbollah targets in Baalbek in northern Lebanon. According to Haaretz, the site targeted in Saturday night's attack by Israeli fighter jets in Baalbek was one of Hezbollah's military activity buildings. This area, located 80 kilometers from the southern Lebanese border, appears to be the farthest target in Lebanon that Israel has attacked since the beginning of the Gaza war. The Israeli army also announced that in separate attacks early Sunday, several other Hezbollah-related targets and buildings in Bent Jbeil, Qana, and Rashaya in southern Lebanon were bombed. Lebanese news agencies reported significant damage to infrastructure in Nabiyeh Square in Bent Jbeil. Additionally, Lebanese sources confirmed to Xinhua News Agency that three Israeli missiles hit a Hezbollah military base in the western part of Baalbek, 'destroying' it and injuring two people. These Lebanese sources added that Israeli attacks early on June 4 injured 18 civilians in the villages of Kfar Hamam, Rakhaiya al-Fakhar, and Halta, nine of whom were children. The Israeli army confirmed that one of its drones of the 'Hermes' model was downed in Lebanon on Saturday afternoon. The army added that it is investigating the reasons for this incident. Kan Israel also reported that in the rocket attack by Hezbollah on Saturday afternoon, the 'Gibor' military base in the city of Kiryat Shmona near the border with southern Lebanon sustained damage. According to Kan, Hezbollah's attacks were carried out with 'over 300 Burqan-type rockets,' which Hezbollah has recently increased its use of. Israeli media also released footage of damage to a shopping center in Kiryat Shmona during Saturday's attacks. Hezbollah claimed that on Sunday, it also targeted an Israeli military base in the Golan Heights and the radar of the Iron Dome system in that area. Yedioth Ahronoth reported on June 4 that the 'Golani' Brigade in the Israeli army, which has been stationed in the north of the country in recent months, has conducted exercises for a potential war with Hezbollah, while simultaneously, 130 Israeli fighter jets have been practicing in the skies over Greece for a war in Lebanon. The Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and President of Israel stated in separate meetings last week that the situation has become intolerable and warned Hezbollah in this regard. Israel has evacuated tens of thousands of residents from its northern settlements and villages and relocated them to hotels in other cities. Mayors and evacuated residents have increased their protests against the government regarding the lack of a vision for returning to their homes. Hezbollah has entered military operations against Israel since the day after the extremist Hamas group's attack on Israeli territory, which led to the Israeli army's war in the Gaza Strip, and has conditioned its end on the conclusion of the Gaza war. Hezbollah has suffered over 300 casualties in its 239 days of operations against Israel. Significant damage has also been inflicted on cities and villages in southern Lebanon, and tens of thousands of Lebanese have left their homes.