{"id":2324649,"date":"2024-08-14T19:17:01","date_gmt":"2024-08-14T23:17:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/netanyahu-holding-line-against-pressure-from-us-iran-and-idf-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-14T19:19:17","modified_gmt":"2024-08-14T23:19:17","slug":"netanyahu-holding-line-against-pressure-from-us-iran-and-idf-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/netanyahu-holding-line-against-pressure-from-us-iran-and-idf-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Netanyahu holding line against pressure from US, Iran, and IDF &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnetanyahu-holding-line-against-pressure-from-us-iran-and-idf-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2324649&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In the \u2063ongoing tensions in the\u200b Middle East, Israeli Prime \u2063Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing\u200d significant pressure from the U.S., Iran, and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) regarding military\u2064 operations in\u200b Gaza. \u2062IDF \u2064Chief of \u200dStaff Herzi Halevi stated that Israel is prepared \u2064to adapt \u200cits military strategy based on political decisions, indicating that they are ready to either maintain control of certain\u2063 areas or\u200d conduct operations\u2064 against Hamas as negotiations progress. This flexibility\u2064 contrasts with Netanyahu&#8217;s firm negotiating stance. <\/p>\n<p>Ambassador Jack Lew emphasized the critical nature\u2063 of upcoming negotiations in Qatar,\u2064 aimed at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hamas-releases-2-american-hostages-after-negotiations-with-qatar\/\" title=\"Hamas frees 2 US hostages after talks with Qatar.\">resolving hostage situations<\/a> and establishing regional stability\u2063 amidst escalating \u2062conflict. The discussions have grown more urgent following the assassination\u2063 of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, which has prompted Iran to\u200c threaten\u2064 retaliation while also\u200b hinting \u200cat a possible de-escalation if\u200c a\u2063 ceasefire is reached.<\/p>\n<p>The prospect of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-speak-loudly-and-carry-a-small-stick-republicans-blast-bidens-response-to-putins-escalation-in-ukraine\/\" title=\"EXCLUSIVE: \u2018Speak Loudly And Carry A Small Stick\u2019: Republicans Blast Biden\u2019s Response To Putin\u2019s Escalation In Ukraine\">direct military action<\/a> from Iran remains a concern for the U.S. and allies \u2064as tensions escalate further, particularly with Hezbollah, which has pledged to retaliate for its own \u2062casualties. The U.S. is closely monitoring the\u200d situation, prepared to \u2062support Israel should another \u200bconflict arise. The situation highlights \u2063the intricate web of regional alliances and the \u2064precarious balance of power that could easily tip into broader conflict if the \u2062diplomatic efforts do not yield results.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Netanyahu holding line against pressure from US, Iran, and IDF<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1730835\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/israel\">Israel<\/a> Defense Forces can &ldquo;raid&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hamas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Hamas\">Hamas<\/a> positions as necessary in the event that Israel agrees to withdraw from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gaza\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Gaza\">Gaza<\/a> as part of a ceasefire deal to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/talks-underway-to-free-hostages-from-hamas\/\" title=\"Negotiations ongoing to release hostages held by Hamas.\">release hostages held<\/a> by Hamas, according to the top IDF officer.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are preparing for all scenarios that the political level may decide,&rdquo; IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi said Wednesday during a meeting with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Idf\/\">IDF<\/a> commanders. &ldquo;If they decide that we stay in the Philadelphi Corridor, we will know how to stay there and stay strong. If they decide that we monitor and raid every time we have an indication, we will know how to do that.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>If those remarks appear to offer Israeli officials some room to maneuver when they arrive in Qatar for a high-stakes round of indirect talks with Hamas, it&rsquo;s a gesture that runs contrary to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&rsquo;s negotiating position.<\/p>\n<p>The general&rsquo;s statement amounts to a reassurance that Israel can tolerate yielding to a key demand of Hamas &mdash; Israeli control of the Philadelphi Corridor could thwart Hamas operations to smuggle supplies and weapons through the Egyptian border with Gaza &mdash; in a dialogue haunted by the threat of an expanded conflict between Israel, Iran, and Tehran&rsquo;s largest terrorist proxy, the Lebanon-based Hezbollah.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The meeting tomorrow is very important, it needs to bring a solution,&rdquo; Ambassador Jack Lew, who leads the U.S. Embassy in Israel, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/us-uk-and-german-envoys-push-for-gaza-deal-all-remaining-issues-have-solutions\/\">told<\/a> reporters Wednesday. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t know how many more opportunities we will have to reunite hostages with their families and have a doorway to stability in the area.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The impending dialogue in Doha, the latest in a protracted series of talks over the last several months, has taken on additional significance in the weeks since the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was traveling in Iran at the time of his death. Iranian officials have pledged to retaliate, but the regime also has signaled that they might back away from that promise if Israel and Hamas finalize a ceasefire.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Iran is a country that has a policy of responding through a calculated and impactful strike,&rdquo; an Iran-backed Iraqi militia leader, Ali al Asadi, said Wednesday in remarks promoted by Iranian state media. &ldquo;The Iranian response will be proportionate to the aggression as it occurred on its territory, and therefore it will respond in the same way and in the same place.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Iran has been expected to launch a direct military response, building on the missile and drone barrage that Iranian forces fired at Israel in April &mdash; a bombardment that marked the first Iranian attack on Israel that was launched directly from Iranian territory, rather than conducted through a proxy. That strike was largely ineffective, as the U.S. forces led a multi-national coalition in intercepting most of the ordnance, but President Joe Biden&rsquo;s administration has been bracing for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us-prepared-possible-significant-attacks-middle-east-by-iran-white-house-says-2024-08-12\/\">&ldquo;a significant set of attacks,&rdquo;<\/a> perhaps on a larger scale than the April attempt.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We obviously don&rsquo;t want to see Israel have to defend itself against another onslaught, like they did in April,&rdquo; White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday. &ldquo;But, if that&rsquo;s what comes at them, we will continue to help them defend themselves.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Yet, some Iranian officials at least seem <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/3116960\/iranian-generals-insist-on-attacking-israel-over-hamas-leaders-assassination\/\">anxious<\/a> about the prospect of another exchange of blows with Israel, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/only-gaza-ceasefire-can-delay-irans-israel-response-sources-say-2024-08-13\/\">reports<\/a> that raise the possibility that Tehran is using the threat of retaliation to strengthen Hamas&rsquo; negotiating position.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;All else equal, the Islamic Republic is keen to respond,&rdquo; Foundation for Defense of Democracies senior fellow Behnam Ben Taleblu told the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em> &ldquo;But the Islamic Republic also is keen not to paint itself into a corner. &hellip; The Islamic Republic might try to threaten an attack, to foist the handcuffs of a ceasefire from America onto Israel and then be able to claim that they are the champions and defenders of Gaza.<\/p>\n<p>That threat has been compounded by Hezbollah&rsquo;s promise to retaliate for the assassination of a Hezbollah commander who was killed in Beirut. That Israeli strike came in the wake of a Hezbollah artillery barrage that hit a soccer field in the Golan Heights, leaving 12 children dead. The attack was a bloody demonstration of the risks of the tensions in northern Israel, which tens of thousands of Israelis have been forced to evacuate due to a persistent series of strikes launched by Hezbollah in solidarity with Hamas forces in Gaza.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There are no more valid excuses from any party for any further delay,&rdquo; U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein said Wednesday during a trip to Beirut. &ldquo;The deal would also help enable a diplomatic resolution here in Lebanon&nbsp;and that would prevent an outbreak of a wider war&hellip;We have to take advantage of this window for diplomatic action and diplomatic solutions. That time is now.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Hamas leaders, for their part, renewed their demand that the ceasefire include a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, including along the Philadelphi Corridor.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/WWW.WASHINGTONEXAMINER.COM\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have informed the mediators that &hellip; any meeting should be based on talking about implementation mechanisms and setting deadlines rather than negotiating something new,&rdquo; Hamas official Osama Hamdan <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/hamas-israel-gaza-ceasefire-negotiations-us-8509c5e68d57c96af99653c8292180b2\">told<\/a> the <em>Associated Press<\/em>. &ldquo;Otherwise, Hamas finds no reason to participate.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Netanyahu, for his part, repudiated Halevi&rsquo;s offer of flexibility. &ldquo;Prime Minister Netanyahu firmly stands by the principle that the IDF will physically remain in the Philadelphia Corridor,&rdquo;&nbsp;an Israeli official <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/israel-hamas-war\/article-814788\">told<\/a> the <em>Jerusalem Post<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1730835\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1730835\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Netanyahu is maintaining his stance against pressure from the U.S., Iran, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF&#8217;s chief officer stated that they can &#8220;raid&#8221; Hamas positions if Israel consents to withdraw from Gaza as part of a ceasefire agreement aimed at securing the release of hostages held by Hamas. During a meeting with IDF commanders, Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi emphasized their readiness for any scenario based on political decisions. He noted that if the decision is made to remain in the Philadelphi Corridor, they will be prepared to do so effectively; similarly, if monitoring and raiding are deemed necessary based on intelligence, they will be equipped for that as well.<\/p>\n<p>While these comments may suggest some flexibility for Israeli officials ahead of crucial indirect talks with Hamas in Qatar, they contradict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#8217;s firm negotiating position. The general\u2019s remarks imply that Israel could concede to one of Hamas&#8217;s key demands\u2014maintaining control over the Philadelphi Corridor\u2014to hinder Hamas\u2019s smuggling operations along the Egyptian border with Gaza. This dialogue occurs amid concerns about escalating conflict involving Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. Ambassador Jack Lew highlighted the importance of upcoming discussions in Doha for reuniting hostages with their families and achieving regional stability. These talks have gained urgency following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh while he was in Iran; Iranian officials have vowed retaliation but indicated a potential de-escalation if a ceasefire is reached between Israel and Hamas.<\/p>\n<p>An Iranian-backed militia leader remarked that Iran would respond proportionately to any aggression against it but also suggested caution regarding direct military engagement with Israel after previous unsuccessful attacks launched directly from Iranian territory earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p>The Biden administration remains vigilant about possible significant attacks against Israel while expressing support for its defense capabilities should such an escalation occur again. However, some Iranian officials seem hesitant about further conflict with Israel and might leverage threats as part of negotiations involving Hamas.<\/p>\n<p>Hamas leaders reiterated their demand for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza as part of any ceasefire agreement. They insisted discussions should focus on implementation mechanisms rather than new negotiations or terms; otherwise, they see no reason to engage further.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast to Halevi\u2019s statements suggesting flexibility during negotiations, Netanyahu has firmly rejected this approach and maintains that IDF forces will continue their presence in the Philadelphi Corridor<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2743,"featured_media":2324650,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-iran.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[26585,3823,6524,38165,32076],"class_list":["post-2324649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-idf","tag-iran","tag-netanyahu","tag-us-pressure","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-iran.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2743"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2324649"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324649\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2324650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2324649"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2324649"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2324649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}