USA dissatisfied with Israel’s warfare – attack near Tel Aviv
Published: Monday, Jan 15th 2024, 16:41
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A good three months after the start of the Gaza war, there are signs of increasing frustration on the part of the USA with Israel's conduct of the war.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Israel had just been followed by "intensive discussions about the transition to low-intensity operations", the communications director of the US National Security Council, John Kirby, told CBS on Sunday (local time).
It is now time to carry this out. Meanwhile, Iran has called on the USA to support an end to the war. Meanwhile, the security situation in Israel continues to deteriorate.
Growing frustration with Biden
For weeks, Washington has been urging Israel to switch from the intensive phase of heavy bombing to more targeted strikes against the Islamist Hamas. The news portal "Axios" has now reported, citing four US officials, that US President Joe Biden is "increasingly frustrated" with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rejection of most of the US government's recent requests on the Gaza war.
According to Biden and his advisers, Israel is also not doing enough in terms of humanitarian aid for the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. The Washington Post wrote that the Biden administration - Israel's closest ally and most important arms supplier - appears unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful influence on how the Israeli military conducts the war.
Iran: USA must stop the Gaza war
Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian said in Tehran that his country, via Switzerland, had "pointed out to the USA the need to end the war in Gaza and warned it to do so". Switzerland represents US interests in Iran, and the two countries have had no diplomatic relations for more than 44 years. Amirabdollahian also warned the USA after attacks on targets of the militant Islamist Huthi movement in Yemen.
Huthi: Yemen becomes the graveyard of the Americans
In recent weeks, the Shiite Huthi, who are supported by Iran, have repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea on their way to Israel. The USA and allies have responded by bombing positions of the militant Islamist group in Yemen.
The high-ranking Huthi member, Ali al-Kahum, said in an interview with Iran's state agency Irna that Yemen was ready to wage war against the USA. Following the latest US airstrikes on Houthi targets, al-Kahum warned: "After this aggression, Yemen will turn into a graveyard for the Americans."
One dead and injured after attack near Tel Aviv
The security situation in Israel and the West Bank has worsened since the start of the Gaza war following the Hamas massacre on October 7. A woman was killed and more than a dozen people injured in an attack near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv on Monday. The 70-year-old woman died of her serious injuries, according to the local hospital. According to media reports, police commander Avi Bitton spoke of a "very serious terrorist attack".
According to reports, two suspected Palestinian residents of the city of Hebron were arrested. The two suspects are said to have rammed into people in several places with stolen cars. According to paramedics, people were also treated for stab wounds.
The Gaza war was triggered by the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas and other extremist groups on October 7. More than 1,200 people were killed and around 250 others were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip. Israel responded to the attack with a closure of the Gaza Strip, massive air strikes and a ground offensive.
According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, more than 24,000 people were killed and more than 60,000 injured. The information could not initially be independently verified.
Aid organizations speak of a humanitarian catastrophe for the 2.2 million Palestinians as a result of the war. In their view, the Gaza Strip has become uninhabitable due to the great destruction.
Berlin visit: Families of Israeli hostages hope for negotiations
Meanwhile, relatives of Israeli hostages with a German background urged efforts to secure their release during a visit to Berlin. "We hope that negotiations will lead to an agreement very soon," said Efrat Machikawa, whose uncle Gadi Mozes was abducted, at a press conference at the Israeli embassy.
At an upcoming meeting, she wants to ask Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to thank the Gulf emirate of Qatar for its mediating role. There are currently no concrete prospects for further releases.
In November, 105 hostages were released during a ceasefire in return for 240 Palestinian prisoners. According to Israeli estimates, more than 130 people are still being held in the Gaza Strip, but 25 of them are probably no longer alive.
Israeli professional footballer returns from Turkey after arrest
Meanwhile, Israeli professional footballer Sagiv Jehezkel is to return to Israel following his temporary arrest in Turkey. This was announced by the Israeli Foreign Ministry. "Turkey has become a dark dictatorship that works against humanitarian values and the values of sport," Foreign Minister Israel Katz reportedly said.
Jehezkel was arrested following his public commemoration of the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7 in the Turkish Süperliga. The player from first division club Antalyaspor was accused of incitement to hatred, the state news agency Anadolu had previously reported.
©Keystone/SDA
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