By Zein Khalil
JERUSALEM (AA) – Well-placed Israeli sources on Wednesday accused US Secretary of State Antony Blinken of sabotaging negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas.
According to a report by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, unnamed sources said: “Blinken made a grave mistake by claiming that Netanyahu accepted the US proposal, putting the ball in Hamas' court.”
The sources argued that Blinken “seriously undermined the negotiations and demonstrated a lack of understanding,” accusing him of fostering false optimism for internal US political reasons, particularly to ensure the smooth running of the Democratic Party's convention in Chicago, which began Monday and continues through Thursday.
The sources added that senior Israeli negotiators were alarmed by Blinken's statements during his press conference, believing that he had “dealt a death blow to the deal” by siding with Netanyahu and giving him a “gift.”
They emphasized that “no agreement will occur if Israel continues to insist on deploying forces along the Philadelphi Corridor,” which borders Gaza and Egypt.
The sources further claimed: “Blinken's remarks implied US support for Netanyahu's position on maintaining Israeli forces along the Philadelphi, despite opposition from both Hamas and Egypt.”
Expectations had been that Blinken would encourage both Israel and Hamas to show flexibility, but instead, he “embraced Netanyahu and distanced himself from Hamas,” casting significant doubt on the feasibility of reaching a deal.
On Wednesday evening, Israeli media reported that US President Joe Biden was expected to speak with Netanyahu “tonight” to urge him “to soften Israel's position” regarding the Philadelphi Corridor.
Israeli, Egyptian, and American officials met in Cairo on Sunday and Monday to discuss the Philadelphi Corridor issue.
According to the Israeli website, Walla, at Netanyahu's direction, Israeli negotiators presented maps to Egyptian and US representatives, proposing that Israeli forces continue to deploy along the Philadelphi Corridor as part of the first phase of the deal, though on a smaller scale.
However, Egypt rejected this proposal, and the US made it clear to Israel that the presented map was unacceptable, according to media reports.
On Tuesday, Blinken, speaking in Doha before departing the region, said that the US opposes any long-term Israeli occupation of any part of Gaza.
The Philadelphi Corridor, a 14-kilometer (8.69-mile) demilitarized buffer zone along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, remains one of the major sticking points in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and cease-fire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to stop the war.
Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
The onslaught has resulted in over 40,200 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and nearly 93,000 injuries, according to local health authorities.
The ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.
Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio