Israel’s anticipated navy invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza was the main focus of President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s name on Monday — their first in additional than a month — with the White Home saying Biden nonetheless has “deep issues” Israel is not going to do sufficient to forestall civilian casualties because it goes after Hamas fighters within the metropolis.
Within the newest growth in a standoff between Biden and Netanyahu that is gone on for weeks — with the U.S. demanding a passable “plan” from Israel — nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan mentioned Netanyahu, at Biden’s request, could be sending a delegation to Washington to attempt to work out what he referred to as “another strategy.”
Talking at a White Home briefing, Sullivan had a few of the administration’s strongest phrases but for the way Israel has carried out itself in Gaza and the way the U.S. would view an invasion of Rafah, the place over one million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.
“A humanitarian disaster has descended throughout Gaza. And anarchy reigns in areas that Israel’s navy has cleared, however not stabilized,” Sullivan mentioned.
“A significant floor operation there could be a mistake; it could result in extra harmless civilian deaths, worse than the already dire humanitarian disaster, deepening the anarchy in Gaza, and additional isolate Israel internationally,” he instructed reporters. “Extra importantly, the important thing objectives Israel needs to attain in Rafah could be performed by different means.”
Sullivan mentioned that in Monday’s name Biden “rejected” that “elevating questions on Rafah is similar as elevating questions on defeating Hamas.”
“That is simply nonsense. Our place is that Hamas shouldn’t be allowed a protected haven in Rafah or wherever else,” he mentioned.
Sullivan additionally highlighted that Rafah can also be a “key entry level” for humanitarian help that might shut down or face a “nice danger” if an invasion happens, and that Egypt has additionally expressed concern for a navy operation there.
He introduced that Israel “within the coming days” will probably be sending a group of officers from throughout many areas of presidency to listen to the administration’s issues in regards to the Rafah operation and to work on another.
“On the decision in the present day, President Biden requested the Prime Minister to ship a senior interagency group, composed of navy, intelligence, and humanitarian officers, to Washington within the coming days to listen to U.S. issues about Israel’s present Rafah planning and to put out another strategy that may goal key Hamas parts in Rafah and safe the Egypt Gaza border with no main floor invasion,” Sullivan mentioned.
Sullivan mentioned that whereas Netanyahu agreed to ship a group to the assembly, he “has his personal perspective” on a Rafah operation.
“Ship your group to Washington,” Sullivan mentioned. “Let’s speak about it. We’ll lay out for you what we consider is a greater approach.”
Sullivan confused a number of instances that Israel wants a “coherent and sustainable technique” for its navy operations which can be related to a “clear strategic finish recreation.” He repeated the administration’s public view that the White Home has “each expectation” that no main navy operation will occur in Rafah till the 2 sides meet.
On the similar time, although, when pressed by ABC Information’ Karen Travers, Sullivan declined to say whether or not the Biden’s name was the “come to Jesus” assembly with Netanyahu that Biden talked about in a hot-mic second on the Home ground simply minutes after his State of the Union handle.
“I am not going to characterize that on behalf of the president. I’ll simply describe what occurred within the dialog as I’ve performed right here in the present day, and I will allow you to all draw your individual conclusions.”
Sullivan mentioned the leaders would keep in “shut contact” within the coming days and weeks.
ABC Information’ Karen Travers contributed to this report.