Frustration Among Israeli Security Officials Over Netanyahu’s Cease-Fire Demands

Frustration Among Israeli Security Officials Over Netanyahu’s Cease-Fire Negotiations

In recent discussions, a number of senior Israeli security officials have expressed growing frustration regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to cease-fire negotiations with Hamas. There is a palpable hope among these officials that President Biden will leverage his upcoming meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday to persuade the Israeli leader to reconsider some of his more stringent demands.

Concerns have arisen within Israel’s defense agencies that Netanyahu’s insistence on strict security protocols—specifically, requiring Israeli forces to screen Palestinians for weapons as they move between northern and southern Gaza—could jeopardize the possibility of a cease-fire and a hostage exchange. This sentiment has been echoed by four officials who are familiar with the internal discussions but remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the situation.

Earlier this year, the Israeli military constructed a strategic road south of Gaza City, known as the Netzarim corridor, which effectively segments Gaza into two regions. A preliminary draft of a cease-fire agreement, submitted by Israel in May, proposed a withdrawal of Israeli forces from part of this corridor and aimed to facilitate the movement of unarmed civilians. This would allow many displaced Gazans to return to their homes. However, recent developments have seen Netanyahu’s government shift its stance, opting instead to install Israeli checkpoints throughout the corridor to conduct weapon screenings, a move that has raised alarms among security officials.

Reports from Israeli news outlets last week indicated that during a cabinet meeting, Israel’s defense minister and the chief of the Mossad intelligence agency cautioned their colleagues that this new demand could significantly delay, if not completely derail, the possibility of a hostage release deal. Compounding this issue, Netanyahu is also under pressure from far-right religious factions within his coalition government, which have threatened to withdraw their support if any Israeli military withdrawals from Gaza are implemented.

Amid this complex political landscape, some senior Israeli security officials are pinning their hopes on President Biden to encourage Netanyahu to adhere to the original proposal, which would allow Palestinians to traverse the Netzarim corridor without undergoing weapon screenings. This topic is anticipated to be a focal point in the negotiations during the White House meeting scheduled for Thursday afternoon between Netanyahu and Biden.

A spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister’s office has yet to respond to inquiries regarding this matter.

On Wednesday, a senior U.S. administration official, who provided a briefing to reporters on the anticipated meeting between Netanyahu and Biden, remarked that discussions between Israel and Hamas concerning a cease-fire and potential hostage agreements are now “in the closing stages.”