From the Liveblog of
Thursday, December 5, 2024
US envoy: Public Israeli demands on Philadelphi Corridor distracted from Hamas intransigence
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s repeated public remarks over the summer about the need for Israel to remain in the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border “distracted attention” from the fact that Hamas was the main obstacle to a hostage deal, US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew says.
“Most people think that the Philadelphi Corridor was the biggest issue because the government here talked so much about the Philadelphi Corridor,” Lew says during an interview with the Kan public broadcaster.
“In fact, there was a constructive negotiation on the Philadelphi Corridor that could have led to a phase one deal, and Hamas was rigidly insisting on tougher terms regarding prisoners and rights to have a say over who gets released, and they were hardening their position,” the outgoing Biden envoy continues.
“But the world doesn’t necessarily know that, because the maps of the Philadelphi Corridor are what they saw. The resistance has come from Hamas in large part, but some of the actions taken by the government of Israel have shifted the focus from Hamas in a way that’s not helpful,” Lew adds.
In early July, Netanyahu added new conditions to the hostage deal proposal he had previously approved, insisting that Israel maintain its military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor to prevent the rearmament of Hamas, Arab and Israeli negotiators have told The Times of Israel.
Netanyahu subsequently discussed the issue at public appearances and even held a press conference in early September where he stood by an enlarged map of the corridor and sought to explain its strategic significance.
Israel’s security establishment has taken a different view, arguing that the IDF would be able to return to the corridor if need be and that withdrawing from the route was a necessary concession to make to secure the release of the hostages. Netanyahu maintained that international pressure would be too strong against Israel returning to the corridor once it left — though he took an opposite stance when defending Israel’s decision to withdraw from Lebanon as part of the ceasefire with Hezbollah last week.
