The Democrats pushing back against pressure on Israel
Amid growing concerns of an Iranian strike against Israel, Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke on Wednesday afternoon about a possible escalation. Blinken, according to a?State Department readout of the call, “reiterated the United States’ support for Israel’s security and made clear that the U.S. will stand with Israel against any threats by Iran and its proxies.”
CENTCOM head Gen. Eric Kurilla is slated?to travel to Israel today to meet with Gallant and other top officials as Israel prepares for a potential Iranian retaliation to an attack in Damascus last week that killed a top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general and six additional officers. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed on Wednesday that Israel “will pay” for the strike.
Shortly before Gallant and Blinken spoke, the defense minister briefed journalists in Tel Aviv about Israel’s efforts to increase humanitarian aid going into Gaza, a week and a half after an IDF strike killed seven aid workers and hindered NGO efforts in the enclave,?Jewish Insider?Executive Editor Melissa Weiss reports.
In the briefing, Gallant unveiled the next phase of the military’s humanitarian efforts.?Within the next week, he said, the Port of Ashdod will be open to increase the flow of aid into Gaza and provide security checks to aid convoys. Israel also approved a new crossing in northern Gaza, and is working with the Jordanian Air Force to move aid from Jordan. Gallant also noted the creation of the Coordination and Deconfliction Cell, which he visited with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew over the weekend. Lastly, he said, Israel is working with the U.S. on naval efforts to bring in aid by sea, and the Defense Ministry’s COGAT unit is working on infrastructure projects in Gaza.
In one of the first signals that Israel’s government is thinking longer-term?about the administration of Gaza, Gallant said the government is taking into consideration the “planning for the day after Hamas.”
“There are three bad options for the day after:?Hamas controlling Gaza, Israel controlling Gaza, and total anarchy,” Gallant said. “We need to create another option – to empower a local alternative.” He added that the humanitarian effort is “key in empowering a local alternative.”
One individual with knowledge of the aid efforts told JI?that “Israel needs to think proactively about building the aid infrastructure and apparatus.”
“It’s positive to see the increase in trucks,”?the individual said. “But the issue is not about 1 or 10 or 100 more trucks a day. Israel needs to shift its mindset from success being driven by the number of trucks to aiding in distribution of the apparatus.”
“Israel isn’t the be-all, end-all of the distribution issue,”?the individual added, “but they need to be a part of the solution.”
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President Joe Biden on Wednesday praised?Israel’s efforts to increase the humanitarian assistance entering Gaza, but said Israeli authorities “need to do more.”
Even as Israel works to increase aid in Gaza,?the IDF is continuing to carry out targeted operations. A strike on a vehicle in Gaza City?killed?three of Hamas head Ismail Haniyeh’s sons on Wednesday. The IDF said that all three men were active in Hamas, with two of them serving as military operatives and one as a cell commander, and that the men were traveling to central Gaza to conduct terror activity at the time of the strike. Haniyeh, who lives in Qatar, said that the strike will not affect Hamas’ negotiating posture, and told Al Jazeera that he “thank[s] God for bestowing upon us the honor of their martyrdom.”
“Their pure blood is for the liberation of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa, and we will continue to march on our road, and will not hesitate and will not falter,” Haniyeh?said.
Meanwhile, talks to free the remaining hostages hit a stumbling block?on Wednesday, as Hamas officials?acknowledged?that they are unable to produce 40 hostages who fit the description of those who would be released in a first round: women, children, the elderly and sick and injured.
And in Washington, the House Republican conference is once again in chaos, after conservatives blocked a procedural vote on reauthorizing federal spying powers. That vote could have implications for the?path to passing aid for Israel and Ukraine,?Jewish Insider?senior congressional correspondent Marc Rod writes.
Republican leadership initially planned to bring up foreign aid?for a vote next week — although, according to Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), they haven’t yet specified what that bill would entail. But the spying powers debate now threatens to spill into next week — the authorities are set to expire on April 19 — and the House will be out of Washington the week after, potentially pushing consideration of foreign aid close to the end of the month.
Coming out of an emergency Republican meeting?on Wednesday afternoon, several Republicans told JI the issue of timing on foreign aid hadn’t come up, and that they had no clear picture of what the schedule for it might be. Meanwhile, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) continues to threaten House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) ouster if he allows a vote on Ukraine aid on the floor.
A resolution condemning the Biden administration’s decision?not to veto a cease-fire resolution at the United Nations and criticizing its calls for an immediate cease-fire was also contingent on the procedural vote that was defeated yesterday, leaving it unclear when that resolution will come to the floor. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL), a reliable supporter of Israel,?said yesterday?he plans to oppose the resolution, suggesting it will see little Democratic support when a vote arrives.