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Gaza ceasefire becomes the theme! Netanyahu meets with senior officials from both parties in the United States

2024-07-27

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[Global Times Special Correspondent in the United States Yang Zheng, Global Times Reporter Zhao Jueyun] Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is visiting the United States, has met with senior officials from both parties in the United States. According to Reuters, Netanyahu met with US Vice President Harris on the 25th local time. On the 26th, Netanyahu will also reportedly meet with former US President and Republican presidential candidate Trump.

On the 25th local time, US Vice President Harris met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Washington, DC.

According to multiple foreign media reports, Netanyahu plans to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on the 26th local time. In an interview with Fox News on the morning of the 25th, Trump did not talk about the ceasefire negotiations, but said that the protracted war in Gaza is not good for Israel's public image.

"I hope he finishes the negotiations as soon as possible," Trump said of Netanyahu, saying that Israel has been "badly hit" by the negative publicity surrounding its war and that "Israel is not very good at public relations." The Associated Press analyzed that for the two, the meeting on the 26th is an opportunity to eliminate differences and repair relations, and they both hope to show their leadership image to their respective countries.

Before meeting with Netanyahu, Trump also posted on his personal social media platform "Real Social" that he "looks forward to welcoming Netanyahu to Florida" and affectionately called him "Bibi Netanyahu."

Reuters said that Netanyahu met with Harris in Washington on the 25th local time. According to reports, Harris put pressure on Netanyahu during the meeting, asking him to help reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, and "her attitude is tougher than Biden's."

Harris issued a televised statement after the meeting, saying, "It is time to end this war... We cannot be numb to suffering, and I will not remain silent." Reuters believes that Harris' remarks are sharp and serious, and raises the question: If she is elected president in this year's general election, will she be more proactive in dealing with Netanyahu?

According to reports from Axios News, The Times of Israel and other media on the 26th, Israeli officials said Netanyahu was dissatisfied with Harris's public speech. The official said Netanyahu was worried that Harris' speech would hinder negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage return agreement. However, analysts believe that there is unlikely to be a major shift in the US foreign policy toward Israel, as Israel remains Washington's closest ally in the Middle East.

During Netanyahu's visit, calling for a ceasefire became the core theme. Since October 7 last year, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has lasted for more than 9 months, causing a serious humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Previously, Biden had proposed a three-stage ceasefire plan, the first stage of which was to achieve a 6-week ceasefire.

According to Reuters, Harris made it clear to Netanyahu during the meeting that she was seriously concerned about the dire humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Harris said, "There has been progress in the negotiation process that is promising to reach an agreement, and as I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu, now is the time to reach an agreement."

Harris reiterated the United States' "unwavering support" and "unwavering commitment" to Israel, but also "firmly supports ending the war." She said she supports Israel's right to self-defense, but said the way Israel defends itself is also important.

Before meeting with Harris, Netanyahu met with Biden at the White House. This was the first time the two had met at the White House since Biden took office as US President. According to US media reports, before starting private communication, Biden did not comment on the current situation in front of reporters, but gave the opportunity to speak to Netanyahu, who used this opportunity to express his gratitude.

The New York Times also noted that neither of them talked about their differences on the new round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in front of the camera, nor did they reveal any information about the negotiations on a possible ceasefire agreement. In addition, after the meeting, Biden and Netanyahu also met with the families of American citizens who were hostages held by Hamas.

According to the BBC, White House National Security spokesman Kirby revealed after the meeting that "Biden and Netanyahu discussed the urgent need to reach a hostage release agreement, the possible spread of the conflict to Lebanon, the Iranian threat, and some 'compromises' that need to be reached in peace talks." Kirby added that although "differences still exist," US-Israel relations remain "robust."

The Wall Street Journal reported on the 26th that recently, all parties have been optimistic about reaching an agreement to suspend the Gaza conflict, but as the negotiations fell into a dispute over new demands, people began to worry about the prospects. A senior US government official said, "There are still some very serious problems to be resolved."

Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao reported on the 26th, citing Reuters, that four sources said Israel is seeking to change the ceasefire and hostage release plan in the Gaza Strip, which complicates negotiations to reach a final agreement to end a new round of conflict between Palestine and Israel. These sources said that Israeli negotiators hope to establish a review mechanism for civilians returning to northern Gaza after the ceasefire begins, but Hamas has rejected Israel's new demands.