Yossi Schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine), 21.08.2024
According to Jerusalem Post, Blinken “in his statements to the media on Monday night after holding a long meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said that “with every passing day that there’s not an agreement” hostages can perish and “intervening events” can occur that could “make things even more difficult, if not impossible. There is, therefore, this “fierce urgency of now,” particularly since “we do see this as the best opportunity to get this over the finish line finally,” Blinken stated. “The longer this goes on, the more, again, hostages will suffer, possibly perish, and the more other things happen that should make this impossible. So that’s why we’re so intensely focused on getting this done and getting it done now.”[i]
“Just as importantly, Blinken made it clear that Netanyahu has accepted the US bridging proposals that would lead to a ceasefire and hostage release and that Hamas impeded the success of this outcome. Blinken put the onus squarely on the terrorist group to find a semblance of clarity that would stop the devastation that its war on Israel has caused the Palestinian people in Gaza and accept the proposal that everyone else involved in the process – Israel, the US, mediators Egypt and Qatar – have agreed upon.“It’s now incumbent on Hamas to do the same [as Israel]. And then the parties, with the help of the mediators, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, have to come together and complete the process of reaching clear understandings about how they’ll implement commitments that they’ve made under this agreement,” Blinken said”[ii]
Of course, Netanyahu agrees with the American proposal of August 16, which fits his demands that will allow the Zionist army to remain in Gaza, to control the entrance to North Gaza, to control what prisoners the Zionists will release for the Israeli captives and to continue the war. However, Netanyahu and Blinken may cheat the fanatic right-wingers but not the families of the captives.
“The direct and full responsibility for the fate of the negotiations rests with the prime minister”, a statement from a group representing the families of those Israelis still held in Gaza by Hamas.The constant attempts to criticize the negotiation teams, to blame the mediators, the media, the families of the abductees, and the abductees themselves – all of these are throwing sand in the eyes”, the statement continues. The group goes on to recognize that delaying a ceasefire deal that would free the captives is in Netanyahu’s favor, allowing him to stay in power and continue the war on Gaza. Still, that time “kills the abductees and takes away the chance to return the living.”[iii]
Down with American imperialism!
Down with Al Sisi!
The Zionist monster out of Gaza now!
Exchange all for all!
Permanent ceasefire now!
For Palestine red and free from the river to the sea!
Endnotes
[i] https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-815587
[ii] Ibid
[iii] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/8/21/israels-war-on-gaza-live-israel-bombards-gaza-lebanon-us-says-deal-near?update=3130613