Blinken’s stern warning to Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “without the support of the United States, we will enter Rafah on our own”, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have taken refuge. Blinken was also said to have warned Netanyahu harshly.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video message after a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who made his 6th visit to the region since October 7, 2023.
“The United States has been standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel in the war against Hamas for more than 5 months and we appreciate it,” Netanyahu said, noting “they are aware that the civilian population must be removed from the battlefield and their humanitarian needs met, and we have conveyed to the US Secretary of State that we are working on this.”
“I TOLD BLINKEN…”
“But I also explained to Blinken that there was no way to defeat Hamas without entering Rafah and neutralizing Hamas’ brigades here,” Netanyahu said. “We hope to do this with the support of the United States, but if necessary, we will do it alone,” he said.
A STERN WARNING FROM BLINKEN
According to a report by the US news website “Axios”, citing a source, Blinken warned his Israeli interlocutors “sternly” during a meeting with Netanyahu and the war cabinet.
Blinken stressed at the meeting that Israel’s security and place in the world were at stake, saying, “You may not realize it until it’s too late.”
Blinken warned that if the current course continued and a clear plan for the post-war period could not be made, Israel would face a major uprising that it could not cope with, “You need a coherent plan or you will be stuck in Gaza,” he said.
Blinken said that if Israel followed the current methods, “Hamas will retain control in Gaza or anarchy will arise”
According to the source, Netanyahu, on the other hand said, “We will be busy for decades”. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has not yet responded to Axios’ request for comment on Blinken’s warning.
