From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Families of American-Israeli hostages meet Netanyahu, demand he back deal while in DC
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
WASHINGTON — The relatives of eight American-Israeli hostages met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier tonight in Washington, demanding that he use his speech to a joint session of Congress to announce that he has finalized the ceasefire deal that will bring their loved ones home, according to a readout from the families.
“Anything less, they said, would constitute an abject failure of his trip to Washington,” reiterating a line they used earlier today in a briefing with reporters and in a readout of their meeting with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
The “families emphatically told Netanyahu that their loved ones cannot wait any longer and that he must close the deal now,” the readout says.
“They reminded him that he is on US soil and that he should address the plight of the eight American hostages when he speaks to Congress on Wednesday.”
Netanyahu’s office announced on Sunday that he would dispatch the Israeli negotiating team to meet with mediators on Thursday. The premier’s aides explained that Netanyahu wanted to first secure US President Joe Biden’s blessing for Israel to toughen its demands.
But that announcement when Netanyahu’s office expected the meeting with Biden to take place on Monday. Now that it is likely to only take place on Thursday, it is unclear whether the Israeli negotiating team will also be held up.
In their meeting with Netanyahu, the American hostage families told the premier he shouldn’t wait until Thursday to dispatch the negotiating team.
The Monday evening meeting with Netanyahu also included relatives of hostages who are not American, along with other Israeli families impacted by the Israel-Hamas war. The families of the eight American hostages are still seeking a private audience with Netanyahu.
