oh, this is definitely on the cards. Not to mention the business interests that Russia has with Israel as well.
I get you. I still don’t see how all those can sway/pressurize the Saudi Regime. But I can see the Egyptian and the Jordanian regimes coming under pressure.
In hindsight , it would probably have been better for west bank to come under Jordan rule and Gaza to remain under Egyptian control.
PLO’s activites made it impossible for Jordan to even countenance such a thing right now.
470 people killed, among them 170 children.
The people in charge of this have abandoned their humanity. They are merely raging beasts at this point.
Indeed. Excellent post.
I would also add that not only is Hezbollah removed from the board (previously Israel’s biggest worry tbh), but also Iran. The Israeli decision to discard the Cease Fire also comes after the White House assured the israelis that they would take care of the “little pest” in Sanaa. So basically, no security threats for Israel other than the theoretical Egyptian one (they have massed a large army at the border) so they could cynically (and God knows they are cynical) decide to extract better terms from Hamas and jumped at the slightest provocation to justify it, given that their hand is now better than previously.
They have also had a breather and unfortunately, Israeli civil society is pro “finish Hamas once and for all”; so little internal social and political pressure to not go back to war. Obviously, they want their hostages back, but not at all cost.
The primary strategic objective is still the same, assure that october the 7th does not happen again, and the methods chosen are to instill deterrance through pain, fear and generational trauma (as well as of course, destroy the military and political capacity of Hamas.) A theoretical objective is the capitulation of Hamas, but since Hamas care nothing about the fate of their own people, they will never agree to capitulate and go into exile and everyone knows that including the Israelis.
The main take away, other than the brutality of the war itself and the suffering; is that Israel is very eager to show Hamas (and the palestinians) that the “Rules Have Changed” and that they get to dictate nothing, or at least very little.
And with the White House behind this, Israel has time now and can dictate pace both in terms of fighting and negotiation, since the current ISR government cares little about Interntional Standing; this can go on as long as Israeli civil society is ok with various sacrifices and/or is convinced that it is worth it. Right now, they unfortunately are.
I suppose all the protesters are antisemitic…
Heard speculation this afternoon that Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ of April 2 will also be annexation day, either that day or the day following.
Soon to be followed by ‘Gaza Expo 2025’ presumably.
Nah. Trump will rename it East America, and the Mediterranean will henceforth be known as the East American Sea.
This is now apparently the longest period since October 2023 that no supplies have been allowed to enter Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel’s defence minister has put annexation of some territory front and center.
Are they securing the Beachfront first for Trump Plaza ?
No they are rounding up beared belly dancers first.
I herd they are having problems and might have to recruit from some date region in California.
Israel ordered its troops to permanently seize parts of the Gaza Strip — to be “annexed to Israel” — unless Hamas hands over the remaining hostages, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Friday. - NBC
I think they are going to annex the whole lot eventually whatever!
For that government the hostages will only be the cherry on the cake
.
I don’t think they want all of Gaza, myself. They don’t want to rule the hostile local population. I see larger annexations in the West Bank, however.
But it’s my current opinion and things can change.
Its insightful to go back to October of last year and see the number of people absolutely certain that a bombed Palestinian hospital must have been done Hamas because Israel just doesn’t do that.
A few years ago, I would have been genuinely shocked by this news. Nowadays, it’s just the kind of news I expect to come from a country dominated by such a murderous and unlawful regime.