With fighting now resuming between Israel and Hamas, it's a good thing that Israel has the support of the government of the United States, its biggest ally in the world.
Or does it?
A leaked transcript of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent visit to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and IDF leadership reveals not 'support' so much as Blinken trying to dictate terms and ultimatums to Israel in prosecuting its war against Hamas terrorists.
Breitbart News has the details of the leaked transcript:
Blinken: You can’t operate in southern Gaza in the way you did in the north. There are two million Palestinians there. You need to evacuate fewer people from their homes, be more accurate in the attacks, not hit UN facilities, and ensure that there are enough protected areas [for civilians]. And if not? Then not to attack where there is a civilian population. What is your system of operation?
IDF Chief Herzi Halevi: We follow a number of principles — proportionality, distinction, and the laws of war. There were instances where we attacked on the basis of those principles, and instances where we decided not to attack, because we waited for a better opportunity.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant: The entire Israeli society is united behind the goal of dismantling Hamas, even if it takes months.
Blinken: I don’t think you have the credit for that.
Whoa.
The audacity of Blinken is stunning. First, he tries to tell Israel how they must conduct their operations, and then he tells them, in so many words that their support has an expiration date.
With 'friends' like this ...
Ghoulish indeed. Also craven and cowardly.
Yep. What he said. Except we know they are incapable of shame.
Levin here outlines the Catch-22 Blinken is trying to impose on Israel. You have to protect civilians, but you cannot have a protracted war. Well, which is it? Israel could end Hamas within a week with their air superiority, turning all of Gaza into a sheet of glass. But many civilians would die. Or, Israel can -- as it has been doing -- attempt to protect civilians to the best of their ability, but that takes time (and also puts many more Israeli lives at risk).
Blinken is telling them they can do neither. In short, he is trying to tell them that they can't do what it takes to win and destroy Hamas.
It's every bit as horrible as it sounds.
And, even worse, as Blinken was imposing these impossible conditions on Israel, he was playing buddy-buddy with the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
Israel must just feel super about the United States after seeing that.
Well, there was Hillary Clinton ...
But no, on second thought, Blinken is even worse than she was. And far weaker.
'Reprehensible' is pretty much on brand for everything the Biden administration does.
But this goes into the realm of unconscionable.