Biden To Netanyahu: Feed Gaza or Lose Military Aid

How to lose friends and influence among people worldwide. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is giving a master class in this by considering a plan to seal off humanitarian aid to northern Gaza in an attempt to starve out Hamas militants.

Doubling down on his anti-terrorist war he’s now doing to bits of Lebanon what he did in Gaza.

But this is only a possible plan coming after a three act Middle East morality play that’s been running for a year with no end in sight following a series of unbelievably incompetent oversights by Netanyahu’s government.

These led to the October 7th massacre and Hezbollah’s continuous rocket attacks on Israel causing the evacuation of the nation’s northern population.

For a first act, there was levelling much of Gaza and killing thousands of civilians while hostages are still being held. For the second act, Lebanon is getting a similar treatment, with hostages still being held. But, the big third act has yet to come…attacking Iran…and even after that the hostages will still be held captive.

First, Bibi sees the hostages in the way he views the UN peace keepers, an obstacle to his over-riding battle plan for a big win against Hamas and Hezbollah. He knows to get the remaining hostages freed he would have to stop the war…something he won’t do without a complete victory over the terrorist armies.

And from a military and security viewpoint, this is a valid argument. After October 2023 and the ensuing war, Israel can’t realistically allow psycho terrorist groups to remain as government players in Gaza and Lebanon.

For Bibi’s part his hold on power is dependent on his pledge to wipe out Hamas, which has yet to happen, and second, defeating Hezbollah, which has never happened, while teaching Iran a painful lesson for lobbing hundred of missiles at Israel.

This leaves the remaining hostages in limbo, not knowing if they will ever be freed or just to survive long enough to be freed.

After a year of devastating war with Hamas, Israel has far fewer ground troops in Gaza than it did a few months ago with its attention now turned to Hezbollah, launching an invasion of southern Lebanon.

Now, Netanhayu is examining a plan to seal off humanitarian aid to northern Gaza in an attempt to starve out Hamas militants. If implemented, the plan could trap hundreds of thousands of  Palestinians  unwilling or unable to leave their homes.

During the 1967 Six Day War, when Jordan, Syria and Egypt were allied against Israel, in an all-out war, the idea of Israel ethnically cleansing the West Bank and Gaza would have been possible. But not today.

US President Joe Biden, who has been a strong supporter of Israel, is now threatening to cut its military supplies unless Israel allows much more food and supplies into Gaza.

This threat from Israel’s main ally comes after the US has sent its Terminal High Altitude Area Defence battery (THAAD) and about 100 troops to run it. It’s purpose is to strengthen the nation’s Iron Dome anti missile defence system against future Iranian attacks.

The delivery of the sophisticated missile defence system risks further inflaming the conflict in the Middle East despite widespread diplomatic efforts to avoid an all-out war. It shows that the US may become an active player in a wider war, something for which Bibi Netanyahu is hoping. He knows the best chance of defeating Iran will be through the US.

But, with an urgent US election very soon, becoming actively involved in another Mid East war is the last thing Biden wants.

So, the key to continuing US aid appears to be Israel’s treatment of Gaza residents. This important defence system may be pulled out if Israel fails to help feed its hard pressed population.