Biden during his meeting with Netanyahu in Israel
Middle East
“Axios”: Biden has 5 concerns and sent General James Glenn, who led the liberation of Mosul from ISIS, to avoid a new quagmire for Israel
US administration officials have revealed that President Joe Biden, despite his full support for Israel and his right to strike Hamas, has systematically and meticulously delayed the imminent invasion of Gaza.
Biden has made high-level visits (including his own), providing military and popular support to buy time in Gaza. She also made clear that America does not want Israel to act recklessly or without taking into account American concerns.
According to US officials and Axios Middle East expert Barak Ravid, the slow-walk strategy stems from five strategic concerns.
First, Biden wants to provide more aid to as many Palestinians as possible to reduce the humanitarian crisis and the global reaction. He also wants to evacuate about 500 American citizens trapped in Gaza before the fighting intensifies. Officials say six attempts to get them out of the Hamas attack failed, in part because Hamas prevented the Americans from leaving.
Biden also needs more time to strengthen America’s military presence in the Middle East, given growing fears that Iran or Iranian-backed terrorist groups could attack Israel.
Biden fears that a swift and reckless attack on Gaza will drag Israel into a long and bloody street battle that could kill tens of thousands of people without destroying Hamas. He could also push Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies to join the war, potentially putting deployed Americans at risk.
The report explains that Biden wants to buy time for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has his own reasons for the delay. Despite political pressure to act quickly against Hamas, Netanyahu has always been risk-averse. He has a rather skeptical view of Israel’s military plans and wants time, so he takes other opinions into consideration and is willing to give more time to hostage release talks while the IDF better prepares for a ground offensive.
On the other hand, the patience of Israeli military leaders has begun to wear thin due to the delay, and Israeli Army Chief of Staff General Herzi Halevy said on Tuesday that the Israeli army is ready for the operation land and is just waiting for an order from the government.
Senior military commanders want a ground attack, in addition to continued aerial bombardment, to avenge the Hamas attack that killed 1,400 Israelis and took 200 hostage.
But American calculations are more complex, as Biden wants to free the remaining American hostages and secure the release of more Israeli prisoners. American officials believe progress is being made.
Biden shares Netanyahu’s concerns about the Israeli plan, as Biden wants the Israeli invasion to be closer to what happened in Mosul in 2016 and not Fallujah in 2004.
That’s why he sent Gen. James Glenn, a former Mosul veteran, to advise the Israelis on their military planning, American officials say.
Axios has learned that Secretary of State Tony Blinken told a group of American Jewish leaders on Monday: “We are not binding Israel or telling it what to do. We are asking tough questions and offering our best advice based on our experience.”