I read now that Blinken will be back in Tel Aviv tomorrow, again trying to find a way out of this mess. Given Egypt will not permit a mass expulsion into the Sinai, something has to give soon. Blinken took a beating from the Arab States over the US's complicity in a possible Israeli invasion of Gaza. When the US started to be accused of legitimising ethnic cleansing the rhetoric changed. Look at Cleverlys about face in the past 24 hours Nuts is right though, unusual for the Syrians to be this quiet given their airports have been bombed.
I wondering is that what’s delaying the invasion. Have the US finally woke up and put a handbrake on the Israeli’s while it desperately tries to find an acceptable solution?
I can't see how this will defuse any regional tensions - Egypt is stepping up its military presence at its Rafah border crossing with Gaza, with fears that Israel intends to push hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees over the frontier into the Sinai desert. Cairo has said the expulsion of so many Palestinians from their homes would be in breach of international law, and a national security risk for Egypt that is liable to bankrupt the country’s ailing economy. Palestinians themselves, and other Arab states, fear refugees would never be allowed back to their homes. Israeli diplomats deny their goal is to expel Palestinians from Gaza as they fight Hamas, although the defence minister, Yoav Gallant has said the plan is to “eliminate everything”. Another minister, Gideon Sa’ar, has said Gaza “must be smaller at the end of the war”. Danny Ayalon, a former Israeli ambassador to the US, said Egypt should take people temporarily. “There is a huge expanse, almost endless space in the Sinai desert just on the other side of Gaza,” he said. The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, discussed the possibility Israel forcing Palestinians over the border with the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, on Sunday, his second visit to Riyadh in his crisis round of shuttle diplomacy. Blinken is expected in Cairo later on Sunday. All Arab states are opposed to the move and warn it may lead to a regional war -Guardian-
Interesting that Egypt quoted security and possible bankruptcy, but not sovereignty. Perhaps there is a deal to be done?
Ceasefire announced at the Rafah crossing to allow crossings to happen following an agreement between Egypt, The US and Israel to re-open it to get refugees out.
Both Hamas and Israel, are saying its not happening...and the border hasn't opened. The iIsraelis are evacuating their Northern areas against the Lebanon border. It seems to be escalating, but rather confusingly
Seems today is the day - Israel orders a compulsory evacuation of all persons in 28 Israeli settlements within 2 kms of the Lebanese border China and Russia hold a joint press conference calling for an immediate UN Security Council mandated ceasefire Meanwhile Iran has put down its marker - Reuters reports that the Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said on Monday in a televised press conference that “Iran considers that the US is already militarily involved in the conflict between Israel and Palestinians.” Significant air traffic here since early morning from the US base at Al Udeid which is the headquarters of US Central Command (USCC) to police the boundary of Iranian airspace in case they get any ideas
What a vicious circle this whole thing is. The same circle of violence over and over again. You’d have to think that Israel will struggle to invade Gaza and Lebanon without serious US assistance. That’s a red rag to Iran, Syria and Egypt. Israeli casualties will be huge too. surely to God there’s enough brains there to find a workable solution for all sides. Everyone is entitled to exist and live in peace.
Sadly mate Biden jumped in feet first and has been backpeddling since. Iran's statement that they consider the US already militarily involved means only one thing, they will use it as a justification to react, it is after all the Americans that Iran wants to defeat Surely the first and main objective is to release the hostages asap and avert a humanitarian disaster in gaza. I noticed this morning on Al Jazeera that a Cardinal, the Patriach of Jerusalem offered himself in exchange for the child hostages Someone has to have a clear head and you would hope the UN would step up but they and the EU have acted like headless chickens as well
Israel have reiterated that they will lift the blockade if the remaining hostages are released. Hamas are using the hostages as human shields along with Palestinians. There are undoubtedly SF units in Gaza now, looking to rescue the hostages. Possibly our own SF too, as there are reportedly British hostages. The whole thing is a complete mess. Just what Hamas wanted.
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2019/1/9/the-zionist-fallacy-of-jewish-supremacy Makes interesting reading this.
