DAY 128 OF THE GAZA WAR: Netanyahu Interviewed by ABC - "Victory is Within Reach", Latest Polls, Gaza Fighting

Tel Aviv Diary, February 11, 2024

NETANYAHU INTERVIEWED ON US SUNDAY MORNING TALK SHOW

Prime Minister Netanyahu was interviewed today on ABC’s “This Week”. The interview received extensive coverage and garnered significant attention in Israel.

https://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/video/1-1-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-107138466

Answering Jonathan Karl, Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized the Army’s significant accomplishments, maintaining that “victory is within reach”. Netanyahu asserted that “those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying lose the war keep Hamas there”. Netanyahu then repeated a second time that “victory is within reach.”

“Total Victory” has become Netanyahu’s latest slogan.  This new catch phrase, however, poses a problem, since its meaning is ambiguous, and open to a spectrum of interpretations. Can there even be “total victory” at this point, now that we have tragically lost so many hostages? Is it possible to achieve both “total victory” and simultaneously secure the return of the remaining hostages?

The government is currently grappling with the critical decision of whether to enter Rafah. The Army claims to have presented three distinct plans for entering Rafah. Now, all they are waiting for is the government’s approval to proceed. However, reaching this decision is not straightforward.

Reportedly, a substantial portion of the tonight’s call between Netanyahu and Biden was dedicated to discussing Rafah. Biden urged Netanyahu hold off on attacking Rafah, at least until adequate plans are in place to safeguard the civilian population.

During my appearance on i24 News yesterday, I proposed that Israel should explore unconventional, “out-of-the-box” solutions, such as establishing a sizable temporary camp for Gazans on our side of the border. This initiative would involve offering provisions like food and medical assistance, particularly for pregnant women. Not only would this help counter certain accusations leveled against us by South Africans, but it would also address some of the demands of the International Court of Justice. However, I anticipate that some of our right-wing ministers would oppose this approach and threaten to break up the coalition if it pursued this type of approach.

When discussing the hostage negotiations with Karl, Netanyahu stated: “I am not sure that anybody can put themselves in the position of the families, but neither can the families of put themselves in the position of the decision makers.” In other words, I understand their concerns, but they should not be telling us what to do. The hostage families are understandably becoming increasingly more desperate. The days go by, (128 and counting…) and the fears continue to grow that the hostages will never return alive.

GAZA

Despite all the talk about Rafah, intense fighting continues in Gaza, primarily in Khan Younis, although also in Central Gaza

.

Over the weekend, three officers were seriously wounded. Here is how the IDF Spokesman described the combat over the last day in Gaza:

Forces of the 98th Division continue to eliminate terrorists and cleanse areas from terror infrastructures in western Khan Younis, simultaneously with raids by the 162nd Division in the center and north of the Gaza Strip. Naval forces attacked several terror targets as part of the support for the maneuvering forces.

In the center of the Gaza Strip, combat soldiers from the Nahal Brigade identified and eliminated a terrorist who had ambushed them, fired an anti-tank missile, and approached them. Subsequently, additional anti-tank missiles were fired at the soldiers. Shortly after, the soldiers identified two terrorists emerging from a building from which the shooting was identified, and directed an aircraft that attacked the terrorists. The brigade's fire support directed aircraft that attacked many terror targets, including an weapons depot. After attacking the depot, secondary explosions were observed, indicating a large amount of ammunition stored there.

In western Khan Younis, combat soldiers of the Paratroopers Brigade and soldiers from the Egoz unit eliminated terrorists and raided terror targets where they found combat materials.

Also in Khan Younis, the fire center of the 98th Division directed aircraft that attacked three weapons depots and a terrorist cell that had fired at our forces. Combat soldiers of the 7th Brigade raided combat sites and eliminated terrorists. Combat soldiers of Brigade 646 located many combat materials.

One of the interesting developments was the actions at the Amal Hospital. Here is how it was described by the IDF spokesman:

The combat team of the Givati Brigade, Shayetet 13 (Navy Seals), and additional special forces, operated earlier this week under the intelligence direction of the Shin Bet and Aman (Military Intelligence) at the Amal Hospital in western Khan Younis. As part of the operation, the forces captured about 20 terrorists, including those affiliated with the Hamas terror organization who were hiding in the hospital. The detainees were brought for further investigation by the Israeli security forces.

The operation included prior coordination with the hospital, and the forces meticulously and selectively scanned the hospital without opening fire and without harming the patients or medical staff. After the operation, the IDF, through the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) for Gaza, facilitated the entry of dozens of oxygen balloons donated by international organizations for the patients of the hospital.

IDF soldiers were pre-instructed on the importance of preventing harm to patients, medical teams, civilians, and medical equipment, in accordance with international law. This operation once again proves the cynical modus operandi of the Hamas terror organization, which uses hospitals and the guise of civilian populations for the purpose of hiding terrorists.

This operation is part of the intense fighting in western Khan Younis and the increase of ground action in the area, during which hundreds of terrorists were killed and hundreds who tried to flee under the cover of the civilian population were arrested.

LATEST ELECTION POLL SURVEY

Tonight, Channel 13 aired a new election survey, but the results were not substantially different from previous surveys. The latest polling showed a slight strengthening of the results in support of the current coalition, which received 48 seats, while the opposition received 68. However, these marginally more positive statistics for the coalition presupposes two things: first, the turnout in the Arab sector is only 43% (as opposed to the 54% it was in the last election) and that Labor and Meretz do not merge in a joint list (something that is nearly certain to happen)

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Two very clear outcomes emerged from the survey. One of the questions posed was regarding what Prime Minister Netanyahu should do now

.The second involved preferences among options, i.e., which of the following do you prefer?

From the responses to both questions above it is abundantly apparent that a clear majority of the Israeli public would like Prime Minister Netanyahu to step down.

ULTRA-ORTHODOX DRAFT BILL

Another significant outcome emerged from discussions surrounding the conscription of the ultra-Orthodox community. This issue has become increasingly pertinent as the recent conflict has highlighted the IDF's undoubted need for additional soldiers. The current proposed law focuses on extending the service duration for those already enlisted, rather than distributing the conscription burden more equitably across all population segments.

The conspicuous absence of funerals for fallen soldiers from within one particular sector (i.e., the ultra-Orthodox), amidst the tragic impact felt across every other segment of Israeli society, has heightened the debate. This disparity, especially noteworthy as the ultra-Orthodox sector holds significant sway within the government, has pushed the issue to a critical juncture. It's evident from these poll results that the public has reached a breaking point.

A PIECE OF HISTORY

Hashomer Founded

Many Jewish pioneers of the Second Aliyah settled in the Galilee. Their prior involvement in self-defense organizations in Russia led them in 1909 to set up Hashomer, the first Jewish self-defense force in Palestine. The leading founders of Hashomer were Itzhak Ben Zvi, Israel Gil'adi, Israel Shohat, and Alexander Zaid. Hashomer entered into agreements with settlements in the Lower Galilee, which then dismissed their Arab watchmen. In 1911, the Jewish National Fund engaged Hashomer to guard its newly purchased land in the Jezreel Valley. In 1911, Hashomer expanded beyond the Galilee and began providing security services to the settlements of Hadera and Rechovot. The initial membership in Hashomer was 30 members, and at no time did its membership exceed 100 members.