[News] Biden admits Israel's defeat in Gaza

[Anti-Imperialist News]

electronicintifada.net
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/biden-admits-israels-defeat-gaza>
Biden admits Israel's defeat in Gaza

Ali Abunimah <https://electronicintifada.net/people/ali-abunimah> Power
Suits <https://electronicintifada.net/blog/power-suits> 31 May 2024
------------------------------

In remarks delivered at the White House on Friday, US President Joe Biden
laid out what he called a “roadmap” to bring an end to the Israeli war on
Gaza.

Biden summarized what he said was a new Israeli proposal for a three-phase
process to exchange Israeli and Palestinian prisoners of war and captives
and bring about a “durable end to this war.”

In its broad outlines, the proposal is very similar to an American-backed
proposal
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/6/text-of-the-ceasefire-proposal-approved-by-hamas>
that Hamas accepted in early May after Israel had approved it
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/05/06/israel-rafah-gaza-ceasefire-hamas/>
.

But Israel then reneged on the deal and escalated its attack on Rafah
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/hamas-agrees-gaza-truce-israel-vows-move-rafah>,
Gaza’s southernmost city and where the majority of the territory’s
population of 2.3 million Palestinians had fled after being forcibly
displaced from other areas.

If Biden is telling the truth that this is indeed an Israeli proposal, it
would appear Tel Aviv is crawling back less than a month later and trying
to make it look as if this is its own magnanimous offer, instead of what it
really appears to be: a public admission by Israel, communicated to the
world by the American president, that it has lost the war militarily.

In what is probably the most important takeaway, Biden stated: “Indefinite
war in pursuit of an unidentified notion of total victory … will only bog
down Israel in Gaza, drain the economic, military and human and human
resources and further Israel’s isolation in the world.”

“That will not bring hostages home,” the US president added. “That will
not, not bring an enduring defeat of Hamas, that will not bring Israel
lasting security.”

It is certain that the US has been telling Israel this privately. But for
the president to come out and say it from the White House podium completely
undercuts Israel’s public assertions that military victory is within reach.

But there are real reasons for skepticism. Biden pointedly did not mention
that this proposal came from or was approved by Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu.

Biden even acknowledged that “there are those in Israel who will not agree
with this plan, and will call for the war to continue indefinitely. Some,
some are even in the government coalition.”

One of those may even be Netanyahu. Given Israel’s deeply divided
leadership, Biden may well be working with Israeli officials other than
Netanyahu in an effort to pressure the prime minister into accepting this
deal.

The following is a rush transcript of Biden’s remarks related to Gaza, with
my comments on some key points in between the lines in *bold italics*.
Annotated transcript of President Biden’s proposal:

For the past several months, my negotiators of foreign policy, intelligence
community and the like, have been relentlessly focused not just on a
ceasefire, that would inevitably be fragile and temporary, but on a durable
end of the war, that’s been the focus, a durable end of this war. One that
brings all the hostages home, ensures Israel’s security, creates a better
day after in Gaza without Hamas in power and sets the stage for political
settlement that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians
alike.

*Biden officials have publicly avoided talking about a ceasefire or an end
to the war that fell short of Israel’s stated goal of destroying Hamas.
This is now quite a turnabout.*

Now after intensive diplomacy, carried out by my team, my many
conversations with leaders of Israel, Qatar and Egypt and other Middle
Eastern countries, Israel has now offered, Israel has offered a
comprehensive new proposal.

*As noted above, Biden says this proposal comes from “Israel,” but nowhere
does he confirm that it comes from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, who has been the chief obstacle to ceasefire negotiations.*

It’s a roadmap to an enduring ceasefire and the release of all hostages.
This proposal has been transmitted by Qatar to Hamas.

Today, I want to lay out its terms for American citizens and for the world.

This new proposal has three phases, three. The first phase would last for
six weeks. Here’s what it would include: A full and complete ceasefire. A
withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza. Release of a
number of hostages, including women, the elderly, the wounded, in exchange
for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

There are American hostages who will be released at this stage and we want
them home.

Additionally, some remains of hostages who have been killed will be
returned to their families, bringing some degree of closure to their
terrible grief. Palestinian civilians would return to their homes and
neighborhoods in all areas of Gaza, including in the north. Humanitarian
assistance would surge with 600 trucks carrying aid into Gaza every single
day.

With a ceasefire, that aid could be safely and effectively distributed to
all who need it. Hundreds of thousands of temporary shelters, including
housing units, would be delivered by the international community.

All that and more would begin immediately. Immediately. During the six
weeks of phase one, Israel and Hamas would negotiate the necessary
arrangements to get to phase two, which is a permanent end to hostilities.

*These broad terms are similar to what were reported to be the terms of the
deal that Hamas accepted
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/6/text-of-the-ceasefire-proposal-approved-by-hamas>
in early May and which Israel had considered nonstarters.*

Now I’ll be straight with you. There are a number of details to negotiate
to move from phase one to phase two.

Israel will want to make sure its interests are protected.

But the proposal says if the negotiations take longer than six weeks for
phase one, the ceasefire will still continue as long as the negotiations
continue. The United States, Egypt and Qatar would work to ensure
negotiations keep going, all agreements, all agreements, until all the
agreements are reached, and phase two is able to begin.

Then phase two would be an exchange for the release of all remaining living
hostages, including male soldiers, Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza.
And as long as Hamas lives up to its commitments, a temporary ceasefire
would become in the words of the Israeli proposal, “the cessation of
hostilities permanently,” end of quote, cessation of hostilities
permanently.

*Historically, Hamas has rigorously implemented deals it agrees to while
Israel has habitually violated them. We can expect nothing different if a
deal here is finally reached*

Finally, in phase three, a major reconstruction plan for Gaza would
commence and any final remains of hostages who’ve been killed would be
returned to their families.

That’s the offer that’s now on the table.

*Again, it sounds a lot like the US-approved offer that Hamas accepted in
early May and that Israel reneged on.*

And what we’ve been asking for, it’s what we need. The people of Israel
should know, they can make this offer without any further risk to their own
security because they’ve devastated Hamas forces over the past eight
months. At this point, Hamas no longer is capable of carrying out another
October 7. It’s one of the Israelis’ main objectives in this war, and quite
frankly, a righteous one.

*Any close observer of the battle on the ground knows that this is not
true. Israel has done virtually no damage to the resistance’s fighting
ability as is clear from how Israel forces have gone back into some of the
first areas of Gaza they entered in the north, and faced fierce resistance
and suffered huge losses even in recent days, such as in Jabaliya
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxid0jXgJXY>.*

I know there are those in Israel who will not agree with this plan, and
will call for the war to continue indefinitely. Some, some are even in the
government coalition.

And they’ve made it clear they want to occupy Gaza. They want to keep
fighting for years, and hostages are not a priority to them. Well, I’ve
urged the leadership in Israel to stand behind this deal. Despite whatever
pressure comes. And to the people of Israel, let me say this, as someone
who has had a lifelong commitment to Israel, as the only American president
who has ever gone to Israel in a time of war, as someone who just sent the
US forces to directly defend Israel when it was attacked by Iran, I ask you
to take a step back and think what will happen if this moment is lost. We
can’t lose this moment.

*Here Biden is trying to appeal directly to Israelis, but it may be futile
since most Israelis support the genocide. It is odd that he would be
appealing to Israelis, including the Israeli government, to accept what is
supposedly an Israeli proposal!*

Indefinite war in pursuit of an unidentified notion of total victory, will
not bring Israel, will not bring down – will only bog down Israel in Gaza,
drain the economic, military and human and human resources and further
Israel’s isolation in the world. That will not bring hostages home. That
will not, not bring an enduring defeat of Hamas that will not bring Israel
lasting security.

But a comprehensive approach that starts with this deal will bring hostages
home and will lead to a more secure Israel. And once a ceasefire and
hostage deal are concluded, it unlocks the possibility of a great deal more
progress, including, including calm along Israel’s northern border with
Lebanon. The United States will help forge a diplomatic resolution, one
that ensures Israel’s security and allows people to safely return to their
homes without fear of being attacked.

*The two above paragraphs are important admissions by Biden that Israel is
incapable of winning military conflicts either in Gaza or on the northern
front with Lebanon, where the formidable Hizballah resistance organization
is entrenched. He’s telling Israelis that if you want “calm,” you have to
do a deal.*

With the deal, the rebuilding of Gaza will begin, Arab nations and the
international community, along with Palestinian and Israeli leaders, to get
it done in a manner that does not allow Hamas to rearm. And the United
States will work with our partners to rebuild homes, schools and hospitals
in Gaza, to help repair communities that were destroyed in the chaos of war.

*This is very vague language, probably deliberately so to obfuscate the
reality that Israel and the United States have failed to destroy Hamas.
They are not going to replace Hamas and yet somehow they are going to
reconstruct Gaza while sidelining Hamas. But it is notable that Biden does
not make grand declarations either about Hamas being removed and says
nothing about who will rule Gaza. That’s all for the good, because that is
solely a Palestinian decision. The only way to get this reconstruction done
is with Hamas’ agreement, and that seems to be what Biden is implicitly
acknowledging.*

And with this deal, Israel could come more deeply integrated in the region,
including, it’s no surprise to you all, including, you know, a potential
historic normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia. Israel could be part of
a regional security network to counter the threat posed by Iran. All this
progress would make Israel more secure, with Israeli families no longer
living in the shadow of a terrorist attack.

*This sounds like an effort to offer Israel incentives, but it is
delusional to think that after perpetrating genocide, that Israel is going
to be integrated into the region. The situation after this genocide is not
going to be a return to regional business as usual.*

All this would create the conditions for a different future, a better
future for the Palestinian people. One of self-determination, dignity,
security and freedom.

*It is notable here that Biden doesn’t say anything about the “two-state
solution,” but resorts to lofty slogans about “self-determination” and
“freedom.” Those terms can be made to mean anything, including limited
autonomy in a bantustan.*

This path is available once the deal is struck. Israel will always have the
right to defend itself against the threats to its security and to bring
those responsible for October 7 to justice. And the United States will
always ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself.

If Hamas fails to fulfill its commitments under the deal, Israel can resume
military operations. But Egypt and Qatar have assured me and they are
continuing to work to ensure that Hamas doesn’t do that. The United States
will help ensure that Israel lives up to their obligations as well.

*Again, it is Israel and the United States who cannot be trusted in any
deal, historically. Biden, for instance, has opposed Israel’s attack on
Rafah, only to turn around and approve it and even to justify its
atrocities.*

That’s what this deal says. That’s what it says. And we’ll do our part.
This is truly a decisive moment. Israel has made their proposal.

Hamas says it wants a ceasefire. This deal is an opportunity to prove
whether they really mean it. Hamas needs to take the deal. For months,
people all over the world have called for a ceasefire. Now it’s time to
raise your voices and demand Hamas comes to the table, agrees to this deal
and end this war that they began.

*This is galling, given that it is Biden and Israel who long refused any
talk of a ceasefire, while Hamas accepted the US-backed proposal earlier
this month. It is also absurd to claim that Hamas “began” this war, as if
history started on 7 October 2023.*

Of course there’ll be differences on the specific details that need to be
worked out, as natural. If Hamas comes to negotiate ready to deal, then
Israel’s negotiators must be given a mandate, the necessary flexibility to
close that deal.

*Biden has claimed that this is an Israeli proposal, and yet here he’s
calling on Israel to give its own negotiators a mandate. Why would he need
to make that appeal publicly if Israel was behind this proposal and wanted
to make it happen?*

The past eight months have marked heartbreaking pain, pain of those whose
loved ones were slaughtered by Hamas terrorists on October 7th. Hostages
and families waited in anguish. Ordinary Israelis whose lives are forever
marked by the shattering event of Hamas’ sexual violence and ruthless
brutality.

And the Palestinian people have endured sheer hell in this war. Too many
innocent people have been killed, including thousands of children. Far too
many have been badly wounded.

*This is so disingenuous. While Biden repeats Israel’s mass rapes lie
<https://electronicintifada.net/tags/mass-rape-accusation>, he talks about
the death and destruction in Gaza as if he had no personal role in it. He
approved it, called for it, armed Israel to carry it out, and is still
doing so to this day.*

We all saw the terrible images from a deadly fire in Rafah earlier this
week, following an Israeli strike against targeting Hamas.

*It is outrageous that Biden is justifying and excusing Israel’s attack on
refugee tents in Rafah.*

And even as he worked to surge assistance to Gaza, with 1,800 trucks
delivering supplies, these last five days, 1,800, the humanitarian crisis
still remains.

I know this is a subject on which people in this country feel deep,
passionate convictions. And so do I. This has been one of the hardest, most
complicated problems in the world. There’s nothing easy about this, nothing
easy about it.

Through it all, though, the United States has worked relentlessly to
support Israeli security, to get humanitarian supplies into Gaza, to get a
ceasefire and a hostage deal to bring this war to an end.

*This is another gross distortion of the US role. Israel deliberately shut
off all aid routes into Gaza and the United States helped it cause
starvation and catastrophe by cutting off funding to UNRWA
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/israels-allies-accelerate-genocide-freezing-unrwa-funds>,
the UN agency for Palestine refugees. At any time, the US could have used
its enormous leverage to force Israel to reopen the crossings it closed,
but Washington has refused to do so.*

Yesterday, with this new initiative, we’ve taken an important step in that
direction. I want to level with you today as to where we are and what might
be possible.

But I need your help.

Everyone who wants peace now must raise their voices. Let the leaders know
they should take this deal, work to make it real, make it lasting, and
forge a better future out of the tragic terror attack and war.

*Biden is placing himself here as a hapless outside observer, instead of
what he is, the key enabler of Israel’s genocide. He is and has always been
the key decision maker who could have stopped Israel’s extermination
campaign at any time. For months, Americans have been raising their voices
against him, demanding he stop the flow of weapons to Israel, that he stop
vetoing UN Security Council ceasefire resolutions, that he stop opposing
and frustrating efforts to hold Israel accountable, whether at the
International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court.*

It’s time to begin this new stage, for the hostages, hostages to come home,
for Israel to be secure, for the suffering to stop. It’s time for this war
to end. For the day after to begin.

*For all his evasions, distortions, lies and victim-blaming, the key
takeaway from Biden’s speech is an admission of both Israeli and American
failure and the search for a face-saving way out. But if Biden really wants
to end the war, he does not need to publicly beg and cajole Israeli
leaders. He can just stop the flow of weapons.*
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