DAY 292 OF THE WAR: Negotiations Delayed, Netanyahu Speaks to Congress, IDF Retrieves Three Bodies, Ben-Gvir Incites

Tel Aviv Diary, July 24, 2024

I started writing this update before Netanyahu’s speech to Congress, which I will address below. A phrase from the end of a radio show I listen to every morning comes to mind: “We will live in better days.” This is a wish everyone shares.

Tonight, it was announced that the negotiating team will not depart to begin negotiations on Thursday; they are currently scheduled to leave next week. By all accounts, there was never an actual plan to leave on Thursday—this claim was made to temporarily pacify the families of the hostages. Furthermore, the negotiators have yet to receive the framework they need to guide their discussions in light of Netanyahu’s new demands.

Earlier in the day, before the new announcement about the delay, former War Cabinet member Gantz stated in a press conference that Israel had already accepted the terms of the hostage deals, and therefore, there was no reason to delay negotiations until the Knesset recesses. Former Defense Minister and IDF Chief of Staff MK Gantz argued that this clearly demonstrates that decisions are being made for political reasons.

NETANYAHU ADDRESSES THE JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS

Today, Prime Minister Netanyahu delivered a masterful speech to Congress, showcasing his exceptional, unique oratory skills. Netanyahu received a raucous welcome, one that I doubt would be replicated almost anywhere in Israel. He framed our fight as a battle between barbarism and civilization, contrasting those who celebrate death with those who celebrate life. He gave a moving account of the tragic events of October 7th and described the many atrocities perpetrated by Hamas on that day. He highlighted Noa Argamani, a recently rescued hostage, and mentioned her mother, who recently passed away. Netanyahu also acknowledged the heroism of the injured soldiers who were present, including an Ethiopian soldier and a Bedouin soldier. He affirmed our commitment to not rest until all our hostages are released.

Netanyahu also deftly navigated the American political waters by thanking Biden for his substantial support, including deploying two carriers to defend Israel and visiting during our darkest hour—a gesture Netanyahu stated Israel would never forget. He also praised Biden for identifying himself as “an Irish American Zionist”. Later in his speech, Netanyahu also managed to thank President Trump for facilitating the Abraham Accords, and for moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. Additionally, Netanyahu emphasized the need for quicker arms deliveries, stating that faster access to arms could expedite the end of the war.

Netanyahu also spoke about antisemitism. The Prime Minister criticized those protesting against Israel and supporting Hamas. Netanyahu went on to say that many of the protesters are aligning themselves with evil and should be ashamed of their actions. He described them as Iran's “useful idiots.” He emphasized the need to condemn and combat antisemitism.

There's no doubt it was an impactful speech and will be well-received by Israelis, which was Netanyahu’s intention. It undoubtedly resonated with many listeners. A 25-year-old Jew living on the West Coast commented on the speech, saying:

I’m glad there is still widespread support for Israel in the US and in Congress as evidenced by the roaring applause he got. It’s disappointing that 80 democrats didn’t go and I’m disgusted by some of the “protests” before, but those are the loud voices of just a few. He made a lot of good points that I wish some ultra progressives would try to understand. I especially agreed with his comparison of civilization vs. barbarism—the blood of civilians is on Hamas’s hands.

For those that were hoping for new initiatives or something new in the speech, they were disappointed. Before the speech, we were led to expect Netanyahu would lay out a new approach to Iran. While Netanyahu discussed how Israel and the U.S. are impediments to Iran, he failed to present any novel strategies. He talked about forming a new alliance with all those who oppose Iran, but creating such an alliance requires at least a basic vision for the Palestinians' future, which he did not provide.

We were also promised a strategy for Gaza’s future. However, what was delivered mirrored what I described a few days ago: a proposal to "Denazify Gaza," equating Palestinians in Gaza with Germans and Japanese post-World War II, without acknowledging the profound differences. Consequently, nearly ten months into the conflict, we still lack a concrete plan.

Ultimately, Netanyahu did not deliver the news that the hostage families were hoping for—that he had accepted his own plan and the hostages would soon be returning home. Instead, he reiterated calls for total victory. This would have been a much more powerful speech if it had been delivered in the second month of the war. However, as we approach the ten-month mark, those of us seeking fresh ideas or some hope for an end to the conflict found it lacking. Hopefully, Biden, who is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu first individually and then with the hostage families, will be able to persuade him to accept his own plan.

GAZA

Tonight, it was announced that the IDF has successfully recovered and returned the body of Maya Goren (56), a member of Kibbutz Nir Oz a legendary nursery school educator, to Israel from Khan Younis. In addition, the IDF brought home the bodies of Oren Goldin (34), a member of the  Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak’s Emergency Readiness Force, and Tomer Ahimas (20), who was killed during the fighting in Kibbutz Nirim on October 7th.

One of the objectives of the mission in Khan Younis was to repatriate the bodies of murdered hostages for burial in Israel. There may be more announcements tomorrow. During its second operation in Khan Younis, the IDF engaged in combat both above and below ground, driven by precise intelligence. The Army recently announced that two soldiers were seriously wounded in Khan Younis within the last day.

The Army Spokesman released the following statement regarding combat today:

During the past 24 hours, combat teams from the 7th Brigade, Paratroopers, and Commandos have been operating in Khan Yunis under the command of Division 98. The forces located an underground route in the area and eliminated terrorists, most of them by snipers.

As part of the combat team's operations from the Commando Brigade in the Bani Suheila area, Egoz Unit fighters identified a vehicle moving towards them containing a terrorist squad. In a combined air and ground operation, an aircraft and a tank attacked the vehicle and eliminated the terrorists inside.

In Rafah, Division 162 forces raided several terror infrastructures, found weapons, and eliminated terrorists operating nearby who posed a threat to them.

In parallel with the ground operations, Air Force fighter jets and aircraft attacked dozens of terror targets in the Gaza Strip, including military buildings, terrorists, observation posts, and various terror infrastructures.

THE NORTH

Hezbollah published a video captured yesterday by one of its drones flying over the Ramat David Air Force base. Israel’s northernmost Army base is located in the Jezreel Valley. No secrets were revealed in the drone footage, which can neither be found online nor seen from any commercial satellite. However, the fact that the drone was able to fly deep into Israel without being detected and shot down is another black eye for the Air Force.

Today was a relatively calm day in the North. As shown in the video below, over the past eight months, Hezbollah has been gradually and consistently increasing its number of targets as shown below.

BEN-GVIR INCITES, AGAIN

Over the last few weeks, Minister of National Security Ben-Gvir has been withholding support for coalition-sponsored legislation. Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party, has been demanding that Ben-Gvir be included in the inner circle making critical decisions