The Biden administration spent several months working with European allies to configure an arrangement that would entice the Kremlin into releasing several foreigners, including Americans, and political dissidents who were in Russian prisons.

The culmination of those months of back and forth became a reality on Wednesday when President Joe Biden announced the impending return of several Americans, while some details of the deal may still trickle out.

The United States, Germany, Slovenia, and Norway all agreed to release a total of eight Russians, all of whom had been arrested and in some cases charged and sentenced, in exchange for the release of 16 people, including four Americans, four Germans, and seven Russian political prisoners. Belarus also released a German individual as a part of the deal. The prisoners held in Russia flew to Ankara, Turkey, bringing another country in the execution of the deal.

The deal amounts to the largest exchange of prisoners between Russia and the West since the Cold War.

The U.S. secured the release of three Americans and a green card holder: Paul Whelan, a former Marine who was first detained in 2018; Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter; Alsu Kurmasheva, a reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Russian dissident and journalist Vladimir Kara-Marza.

“The execution phase of this, to get this level of coordination together to have those planes all land on the tarmac at the same time from multiple different countries, with so many different individuals coming from Russia and going back to Russia, really extraordinary,” U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters.

Vadim Krasikov is viewed as Russia’s prized return for the large swap. The former high-ranking FSB colonel was convicted of murdering a former Chechen fighter in Berlin in 2019 and was later sentenced to life in prison. His inclusion in a deal was critical to securing Russia’s willingness to do this proposal.

Sullivan said after several rounds of negotiating, it became apparent that Krasikov was “a key.”

The U.S. and Kremlin had agreed to two separate prisoner swaps in 2020, which in totality secured the release of Brittney Griner and Trevor Reed in exchange for Konstantin Yaroshenko and a notorious arms dealer, Viktor Bout. Whelan, who was detained before Griner or Reed, was not included in either deal. The U.S. continued trying to secure his release, but Russia had indicated its desire to get Krasikov returned, pulling Germany into the negotiations at a minimum.

The negotiations had been going on for so long that Russian dissident Alexei Navalny was a part of these discussions before he died in February.

A German government spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, said they “did not take this decision lightly” to give him up in the deal.

Biden, in announcing it, singled out German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s role in the deal as he praised the alliances and relationships between the U.S. and several European allies that made this agreement a reality.

“I particularly owe a great sense of gratitude to the — the chancellor. The demands they were making of me required me to get some significant concessions from Germany, which they originally concluded they could not do because of the person in question,” Biden said, surrounded by the families of the Americans on their way home. “But everybody stepped up. Poland stepped up. Slovenia stepped up. Turkey stepped up. And it matters to have relationships. It really does. These things matter.”

It’s unclear what incentivized the Slovenians and Norwegians to release two Russians apiece as a part of the deal.

The U.S. government faces difficult questions when considering proposals regarding the release of Americans detained abroad. Often in these cases, Americans have been unfairly arrested in foreign countries that are seeking to hold them as bargaining chips to use in negotiations, often to get convicted criminals released in return. Detractors of these deals argue that agreeing to such an arrangement further incentivizes bad actors to take more Americans to use them in more deals.

The phenomenon is known as “hostage diplomacy.”

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) celebrated the release of the Americans but expressed concern that “the Biden-Harris administration has allowed dangerous Russian criminals to go free, including an assassin and an operator of illicit procurement networks for the Russian military.”

He added that the administration “must explain how they will deter Putin and other American adversaries from exploiting hostage-taking to exact leverage over the United States. Otherwise there will be many more innocent Americans behind bars.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens said last month that the “numbers just don’t support” the argument that making the deals actually results in more Americans detained overseas, noting, “If you don’t make these deals, people just don’t come home. So you’ve got to picture it; people that you love, your son, your daughter, your wife, your husband, your grandfather, they get arrested, they’re thrown in jail and the United States says, ‘well we don’t make deals but there’s no alternatives.’”

The administration was unable to secure the release of Marc Fogel, an American in a Russian prison on drug charges. Sullivan, during Thursday’s briefing, referred to him as wrongfully detained, which was the first time a member of the administration has given him that designation and would put his case under Carsten’s purview.

2024-08-01 22:46:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F3107975%2Fimplications-wide-ranging-prisoner-deal%2F?w=600&h=450, The Biden administration spent several months working with European allies to configure an arrangement that would entice the Kremlin into releasing several foreigners, including Americans, and political dissidents who were in Russian prisons. The culmination of those months of back and forth became a reality on Wednesday when President Joe Biden announced the impending return,

The Biden administration spent several months working with European allies to configure an arrangement that would entice the Kremlin into releasing several foreigners, including Americans, and political dissidents who were in Russian prisons.

The culmination of those months of back and forth became a reality on Wednesday when President Joe Biden announced the impending return of several Americans, while some details of the deal may still trickle out.

The United States, Germany, Slovenia, and Norway all agreed to release a total of eight Russians, all of whom had been arrested and in some cases charged and sentenced, in exchange for the release of 16 people, including four Americans, four Germans, and seven Russian political prisoners. Belarus also released a German individual as a part of the deal. The prisoners held in Russia flew to Ankara, Turkey, bringing another country in the execution of the deal.

The deal amounts to the largest exchange of prisoners between Russia and the West since the Cold War.

The U.S. secured the release of three Americans and a green card holder: Paul Whelan, a former Marine who was first detained in 2018; Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter; Alsu Kurmasheva, a reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Russian dissident and journalist Vladimir Kara-Marza.

“The execution phase of this, to get this level of coordination together to have those planes all land on the tarmac at the same time from multiple different countries, with so many different individuals coming from Russia and going back to Russia, really extraordinary,” U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters.

Vadim Krasikov is viewed as Russia’s prized return for the large swap. The former high-ranking FSB colonel was convicted of murdering a former Chechen fighter in Berlin in 2019 and was later sentenced to life in prison. His inclusion in a deal was critical to securing Russia’s willingness to do this proposal.

Sullivan said after several rounds of negotiating, it became apparent that Krasikov was “a key.”

The U.S. and Kremlin had agreed to two separate prisoner swaps in 2020, which in totality secured the release of Brittney Griner and Trevor Reed in exchange for Konstantin Yaroshenko and a notorious arms dealer, Viktor Bout. Whelan, who was detained before Griner or Reed, was not included in either deal. The U.S. continued trying to secure his release, but Russia had indicated its desire to get Krasikov returned, pulling Germany into the negotiations at a minimum.

The negotiations had been going on for so long that Russian dissident Alexei Navalny was a part of these discussions before he died in February.

A German government spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, said they “did not take this decision lightly” to give him up in the deal.

Biden, in announcing it, singled out German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s role in the deal as he praised the alliances and relationships between the U.S. and several European allies that made this agreement a reality.

“I particularly owe a great sense of gratitude to the — the chancellor. The demands they were making of me required me to get some significant concessions from Germany, which they originally concluded they could not do because of the person in question,” Biden said, surrounded by the families of the Americans on their way home. “But everybody stepped up. Poland stepped up. Slovenia stepped up. Turkey stepped up. And it matters to have relationships. It really does. These things matter.”

It’s unclear what incentivized the Slovenians and Norwegians to release two Russians apiece as a part of the deal.

The U.S. government faces difficult questions when considering proposals regarding the release of Americans detained abroad. Often in these cases, Americans have been unfairly arrested in foreign countries that are seeking to hold them as bargaining chips to use in negotiations, often to get convicted criminals released in return. Detractors of these deals argue that agreeing to such an arrangement further incentivizes bad actors to take more Americans to use them in more deals.

The phenomenon is known as “hostage diplomacy.”

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) celebrated the release of the Americans but expressed concern that “the Biden-Harris administration has allowed dangerous Russian criminals to go free, including an assassin and an operator of illicit procurement networks for the Russian military.”

He added that the administration “must explain how they will deter Putin and other American adversaries from exploiting hostage-taking to exact leverage over the United States. Otherwise there will be many more innocent Americans behind bars.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens said last month that the “numbers just don’t support” the argument that making the deals actually results in more Americans detained overseas, noting, “If you don’t make these deals, people just don’t come home. So you’ve got to picture it; people that you love, your son, your daughter, your wife, your husband, your grandfather, they get arrested, they’re thrown in jail and the United States says, ‘well we don’t make deals but there’s no alternatives.’”

The administration was unable to secure the release of Marc Fogel, an American in a Russian prison on drug charges. Sullivan, during Thursday’s briefing, referred to him as wrongfully detained, which was the first time a member of the administration has given him that designation and would put his case under Carsten’s purview.

, The Biden administration spent several months working with European allies to configure an arrangement that would entice the Kremlin into releasing several foreigners, including Americans, and political dissidents who were in Russian prisons. The culmination of those months of back and forth became a reality on Wednesday when President Joe Biden announced the impending return of several Americans, while some details of the deal may still trickle out. The United States, Germany, Slovenia, and Norway all agreed to release a total of eight Russians, all of whom had been arrested and in some cases charged and sentenced, in exchange for the release of 16 people, including four Americans, four Germans, and seven Russian political prisoners. Belarus also released a German individual as a part of the deal. The prisoners held in Russia flew to Ankara, Turkey, bringing another country in the execution of the deal. The deal amounts to the largest exchange of prisoners between Russia and the West since the Cold War. President Joe Biden, right, reaches out to hold hands with Elizabeth Whelan, left, as he delivers remarks on a prisoner swap with Russia from the State Dining Room of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) The U.S. secured the release of three Americans and a green card holder: Paul Whelan, a former Marine who was first detained in 2018; Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter; Alsu Kurmasheva, a reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Russian dissident and journalist Vladimir Kara-Marza. “The execution phase of this, to get this level of coordination together to have those planes all land on the tarmac at the same time from multiple different countries, with so many different individuals coming from Russia and going back to Russia, really extraordinary,” U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters. Vadim Krasikov is viewed as Russia’s prized return for the large swap. The former high-ranking FSB colonel was convicted of murdering a former Chechen fighter in Berlin in 2019 and was later sentenced to life in prison. His inclusion in a deal was critical to securing Russia’s willingness to do this proposal. Sullivan said after several rounds of negotiating, it became apparent that Krasikov was “a key.” The U.S. and Kremlin had agreed to two separate prisoner swaps in 2020, which in totality secured the release of Brittney Griner and Trevor Reed in exchange for Konstantin Yaroshenko and a notorious arms dealer, Viktor Bout. Whelan, who was detained before Griner or Reed, was not included in either deal. The U.S. continued trying to secure his release, but Russia had indicated its desire to get Krasikov returned, pulling Germany into the negotiations at a minimum. The negotiations had been going on for so long that Russian dissident Alexei Navalny was a part of these discussions before he died in February. A German government spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, said they “did not take this decision lightly” to give him up in the deal. FILE – Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich stands in a glass cage in a courtroom in Yekaterinburg, Russia, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo, File) Biden, in announcing it, singled out German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s role in the deal as he praised the alliances and relationships between the U.S. and several European allies that made this agreement a reality. “I particularly owe a great sense of gratitude to the — the chancellor. The demands they were making of me required me to get some significant concessions from Germany, which they originally concluded they could not do because of the person in question,” Biden said, surrounded by the families of the Americans on their way home. “But everybody stepped up. Poland stepped up. Slovenia stepped up. Turkey stepped up. And it matters to have relationships. It really does. These things matter.” It’s unclear what incentivized the Slovenians and Norwegians to release two Russians apiece as a part of the deal. The U.S. government faces difficult questions when considering proposals regarding the release of Americans detained abroad. Often in these cases, Americans have been unfairly arrested in foreign countries that are seeking to hold them as bargaining chips to use in negotiations, often to get convicted criminals released in return. Detractors of these deals argue that agreeing to such an arrangement further incentivizes bad actors to take more Americans to use them in more deals. The phenomenon is known as “hostage diplomacy.” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) celebrated the release of the Americans but expressed concern that “the Biden-Harris administration has allowed dangerous Russian criminals to go free, including an assassin and an operator of illicit procurement networks for the Russian military.” He added that the administration “must explain how they will deter Putin and other American adversaries from exploiting hostage-taking to exact leverage over the United States. Otherwise there will be many more innocent Americans behind bars.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens said last month that the “numbers just don’t support” the argument that making the deals actually results in more Americans detained overseas, noting, “If you don’t make these deals, people just don’t come home. So you’ve got to picture it; people that you love, your son, your daughter, your wife, your husband, your grandfather, they get arrested, they’re thrown in jail and the United States says, ‘well we don’t make deals but there’s no alternatives.’” The administration was unable to secure the release of Marc Fogel, an American in a Russian prison on drug charges. Sullivan, during Thursday’s briefing, referred to him as wrongfully detained, which was the first time a member of the administration has given him that designation and would put his case under Carsten’s purview., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Evan_Gershkovich_99.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Mike Brest,

The people responsible for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh stored a bomb in the guesthouse in Tehran he was staying in for about two months before detonating it overnight into Wednesday, according to the New York Times.

Israel is widely believed to be responsible for Haniyeh’s assassination, though it has not taken credit for it. It largely does not take responsibility for covert operations carried out in enemy territory.

Haniyeh was in Iran to attend the presidential inauguration, and when he returned to the guesthouse in an upscale neighborhood in northern Tehran that is run and protected by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the perpetrators detonated the bomb remotely. The blast, which shook the compound, shattered some windows, caused the partial collapse of an exterior wall, and killed a bodyguard.

The Hamas leader, who was based in Qatar, had traveled to Tehran and stayed at the guesthouse several times.

The new details of Haniyeh’s death further demonstrate Tehran’s abject failure and the brazenness of the attack. It also demonstrates the extent of Israel’s ability to target enemies even within Tehran.

“Haniyeh was a guest of the Ayatollah, so it was quite a slap in the face and embarrassment to the regime, and shows, once again, the prowess of the Israeli intelligence and military,” former U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told the Washington Examiner.

Overnight into Thursday, the Israeli military confirmed it had killed Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif in strikes earlier in July. The last remaining well-known Hamas leader thought to be tied to the Oct. 7 terrorist attack that ignited the current conflict is Yahya Sinwar. He is believed to be hiding underground in Hamas’s extensive tunnel infrastructure under Gaza.

Iran is deliberating how it should respond, and its retaliation could include proxy forces in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

There are concerns globally that the escalating situation in the Middle East could spur an escalation in the war between Israel and Iran and their proxies.

“We don’t believe that an escalation is inevitable, and there’s no signs that an escalation is imminent,” U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday.

2024-08-01 15:03:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F3107199%2Fhamas-chief-haniyeh-believed-killed-bomb-stashed-tehran-guesthouse-months%2F?w=600&h=450, The people responsible for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh stored a bomb in the guesthouse in Tehran he was staying in for about two months before detonating it overnight into Wednesday, according to the New York Times. Israel is widely believed to be responsible for Haniyeh’s assassination, though it has not taken,

The people responsible for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh stored a bomb in the guesthouse in Tehran he was staying in for about two months before detonating it overnight into Wednesday, according to the New York Times.

Israel is widely believed to be responsible for Haniyeh’s assassination, though it has not taken credit for it. It largely does not take responsibility for covert operations carried out in enemy territory.

Haniyeh was in Iran to attend the presidential inauguration, and when he returned to the guesthouse in an upscale neighborhood in northern Tehran that is run and protected by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the perpetrators detonated the bomb remotely. The blast, which shook the compound, shattered some windows, caused the partial collapse of an exterior wall, and killed a bodyguard.

The Hamas leader, who was based in Qatar, had traveled to Tehran and stayed at the guesthouse several times.

The new details of Haniyeh’s death further demonstrate Tehran’s abject failure and the brazenness of the attack. It also demonstrates the extent of Israel’s ability to target enemies even within Tehran.

“Haniyeh was a guest of the Ayatollah, so it was quite a slap in the face and embarrassment to the regime, and shows, once again, the prowess of the Israeli intelligence and military,” former U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told the Washington Examiner.

Overnight into Thursday, the Israeli military confirmed it had killed Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif in strikes earlier in July. The last remaining well-known Hamas leader thought to be tied to the Oct. 7 terrorist attack that ignited the current conflict is Yahya Sinwar. He is believed to be hiding underground in Hamas’s extensive tunnel infrastructure under Gaza.

Iran is deliberating how it should respond, and its retaliation could include proxy forces in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

There are concerns globally that the escalating situation in the Middle East could spur an escalation in the war between Israel and Iran and their proxies.

“We don’t believe that an escalation is inevitable, and there’s no signs that an escalation is imminent,” U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday.

, The people responsible for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh stored a bomb in the guesthouse in Tehran he was staying in for about two months before detonating it overnight into Wednesday, according to the New York Times. Israel is widely believed to be responsible for Haniyeh’s assassination, though it has not taken credit for it. It largely does not take responsibility for covert operations carried out in enemy territory. Haniyeh was in Iran to attend the presidential inauguration, and when he returned to the guesthouse in an upscale neighborhood in northern Tehran that is run and protected by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the perpetrators detonated the bomb remotely. The blast, which shook the compound, shattered some windows, caused the partial collapse of an exterior wall, and killed a bodyguard. The Hamas leader, who was based in Qatar, had traveled to Tehran and stayed at the guesthouse several times. The new details of Haniyeh’s death further demonstrate Tehran’s abject failure and the brazenness of the attack. It also demonstrates the extent of Israel’s ability to target enemies even within Tehran. “Haniyeh was a guest of the Ayatollah, so it was quite a slap in the face and embarrassment to the regime, and shows, once again, the prowess of the Israeli intelligence and military,” former U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told the Washington Examiner. Overnight into Thursday, the Israeli military confirmed it had killed Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif in strikes earlier in July. The last remaining well-known Hamas leader thought to be tied to the Oct. 7 terrorist attack that ignited the current conflict is Yahya Sinwar. He is believed to be hiding underground in Hamas’s extensive tunnel infrastructure under Gaza. Iran is deliberating how it should respond, and its retaliation could include proxy forces in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER There are concerns globally that the escalating situation in the Middle East could spur an escalation in the war between Israel and Iran and their proxies. “We don’t believe that an escalation is inevitable, and there’s no signs that an escalation is imminent,” U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Hamas_Ismail-Haniyeh_44635.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Mike Brest,

The United States announced $500 million in military funding for the Philippines on Tuesday to modernize the country’s armed forces in what Secretary of State Antony Blinken called a “once-in-a-generation investment.”

Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with their Filipino counterparts, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo and Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr., in Manila on Tuesday, where they announced new updates to the alliance. They also met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

During the meeting, the U.S. committed to allocating $500 million in foreign military financing from the fiscal 2024 Indo-Pacific security supplemental to establish a Roles, Missions, Capabilities Working Group and implement the Philippines-Security Sector Assistance Roadmap, which outlines the jointly determined priority capability requirements of the Philippines Armed Forces, among other things.

“This level of funding is unprecedented, and it sends a clear message of support for the Philippines from the Biden-Harris administration, the U.S. Congress, and the American people,” Austin said.

Blinken added, “Both of us share concerns — and many other countries in the region share concerns as well — about some of the actions that the People’s Republic of China has taken, escalatory actions in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and elsewhere.”

Both U.S. secretaries were in Japan earlier in the week, where they met with Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa in Tokyo on Sunday. Austin and Kihara met with the South Korean defense minister for a trilateral ministerial meeting, which was held for the first time in Japan.

Austin described this new pact of U.S. allies in the Pacific region as a “new convergence” of “likeminded allies and partners.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Ahead of the trip, the defense secretary told reporters, “Our ties with Australia and India are stronger than ever. We’ve improved our relationships with Vietnam, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, and many more.”

The Pentagon considers the Chinese Communist Party the biggest threat to the international rules-based order and has characterized them as the U.S.’s “pacing threat.” In the last several years, China’s military has frequently clashed with the Philippines and other Pacific countries regarding Beijing’s claims of sovereignty around the region.

2024-07-30 22:07:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F3104809%2Fus-announces-500-million-funding-for-philippines-over-china-threat%2F?w=600&h=450, The United States announced $500 million in military funding for the Philippines on Tuesday to modernize the country’s armed forces in what Secretary of State Antony Blinken called a “once-in-a-generation investment.” Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with their Filipino counterparts, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo and Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro,

The United States announced $500 million in military funding for the Philippines on Tuesday to modernize the country’s armed forces in what Secretary of State Antony Blinken called a “once-in-a-generation investment.”

Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with their Filipino counterparts, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo and Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr., in Manila on Tuesday, where they announced new updates to the alliance. They also met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

During the meeting, the U.S. committed to allocating $500 million in foreign military financing from the fiscal 2024 Indo-Pacific security supplemental to establish a Roles, Missions, Capabilities Working Group and implement the Philippines-Security Sector Assistance Roadmap, which outlines the jointly determined priority capability requirements of the Philippines Armed Forces, among other things.

“This level of funding is unprecedented, and it sends a clear message of support for the Philippines from the Biden-Harris administration, the U.S. Congress, and the American people,” Austin said.

Blinken added, “Both of us share concerns — and many other countries in the region share concerns as well — about some of the actions that the People’s Republic of China has taken, escalatory actions in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and elsewhere.”

Both U.S. secretaries were in Japan earlier in the week, where they met with Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa in Tokyo on Sunday. Austin and Kihara met with the South Korean defense minister for a trilateral ministerial meeting, which was held for the first time in Japan.

Austin described this new pact of U.S. allies in the Pacific region as a “new convergence” of “likeminded allies and partners.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Ahead of the trip, the defense secretary told reporters, “Our ties with Australia and India are stronger than ever. We’ve improved our relationships with Vietnam, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, and many more.”

The Pentagon considers the Chinese Communist Party the biggest threat to the international rules-based order and has characterized them as the U.S.’s “pacing threat.” In the last several years, China’s military has frequently clashed with the Philippines and other Pacific countries regarding Beijing’s claims of sovereignty around the region.

, The United States announced $500 million in military funding for the Philippines on Tuesday to modernize the country’s armed forces in what Secretary of State Antony Blinken called a “once-in-a-generation investment.” Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with their Filipino counterparts, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo and Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr., in Manila on Tuesday, where they announced new updates to the alliance. They also met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. During the meeting, the U.S. committed to allocating $500 million in foreign military financing from the fiscal 2024 Indo-Pacific security supplemental to establish a Roles, Missions, Capabilities Working Group and implement the Philippines-Security Sector Assistance Roadmap, which outlines the jointly determined priority capability requirements of the Philippines Armed Forces, among other things. “This level of funding is unprecedented, and it sends a clear message of support for the Philippines from the Biden-Harris administration, the U.S. Congress, and the American people,” Austin said. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, from left, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, and National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro pose for a photo during a joint news conference after a foreign and defense ministerial meeting at Camp Aguinaldo in Manila, Philippines, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe) Blinken added, “Both of us share concerns — and many other countries in the region share concerns as well — about some of the actions that the People’s Republic of China has taken, escalatory actions in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and elsewhere.” Both U.S. secretaries were in Japan earlier in the week, where they met with Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa in Tokyo on Sunday. Austin and Kihara met with the South Korean defense minister for a trilateral ministerial meeting, which was held for the first time in Japan. Austin described this new pact of U.S. allies in the Pacific region as a “new convergence” of “likeminded allies and partners.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Ahead of the trip, the defense secretary told reporters, “Our ties with Australia and India are stronger than ever. We’ve improved our relationships with Vietnam, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, and many more.” The Pentagon considers the Chinese Communist Party the biggest threat to the international rules-based order and has characterized them as the U.S.’s “pacing threat.” In the last several years, China’s military has frequently clashed with the Philippines and other Pacific countries regarding Beijing’s claims of sovereignty around the region., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Philippines.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Mike Brest,

A swarm of people breached the perimeter of an Israeli base in protest of a military investigation into the potential abuse of a prisoner housed there.

The protesters were upset with the announcement from the Israel Defense Forces that its Military Police Criminal Investigation Division was looking into the “suspected substantial abuse of a detainee” at the Sde Teiman base in Israel’s Negev desert, where Palestinian detainees have allegedly been held under extreme conditions.

At least nine reservists were detained for questioning as part of the investigation. Reservists and civilians protested their detention. At least one hard-right lawmaker, Zvi Sukkot of the Religious Zionist Party, was there, according to the New York Times.

“The incident of breaking into the Sde Yemen base is extremely serious and against the law. Breaking into a military base and disturbing the order there is serious behavior that is not acceptable in any way. We are at war, and actions of this kind endanger the security of the country. I strongly condemn the incident and we are working to restore order at the base,” IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi said.

He announced his support for the military prosecutor’s office and military police to investigate every incident.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, “I demand from all the members of the Knesset and especially from those responsible – to exercise it and calm the spirits immediately. The Israel Police must intervene and act immediately to restore law and order. I call on the protesters: leave the camp and let the IDF work and win.”

Halevi noted the protest was “harming the IDF, the security of the state and the war effort.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Israel is continuing its operations in Gaza against Hamas and is preparing to retaliate against Hezbollah for a strike over the weekend in the Golan Heights that killed about a dozen children who were playing on a soccer field in Majdal Shams.

2024-07-29 21:57:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F3103421%2Fmob-storms-idf-base-israel-soldier-alleged-abuse%2F?w=600&h=450, A swarm of people breached the perimeter of an Israeli base in protest of a military investigation into the potential abuse of a prisoner housed there. The protesters were upset with the announcement from the Israel Defense Forces that its Military Police Criminal Investigation Division was looking into the “suspected substantial abuse of a detainee”,

A swarm of people breached the perimeter of an Israeli base in protest of a military investigation into the potential abuse of a prisoner housed there.

The protesters were upset with the announcement from the Israel Defense Forces that its Military Police Criminal Investigation Division was looking into the “suspected substantial abuse of a detainee” at the Sde Teiman base in Israel’s Negev desert, where Palestinian detainees have allegedly been held under extreme conditions.

At least nine reservists were detained for questioning as part of the investigation. Reservists and civilians protested their detention. At least one hard-right lawmaker, Zvi Sukkot of the Religious Zionist Party, was there, according to the New York Times.

“The incident of breaking into the Sde Yemen base is extremely serious and against the law. Breaking into a military base and disturbing the order there is serious behavior that is not acceptable in any way. We are at war, and actions of this kind endanger the security of the country. I strongly condemn the incident and we are working to restore order at the base,” IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi said.

He announced his support for the military prosecutor’s office and military police to investigate every incident.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, “I demand from all the members of the Knesset and especially from those responsible – to exercise it and calm the spirits immediately. The Israel Police must intervene and act immediately to restore law and order. I call on the protesters: leave the camp and let the IDF work and win.”

Halevi noted the protest was “harming the IDF, the security of the state and the war effort.”

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Israel is continuing its operations in Gaza against Hamas and is preparing to retaliate against Hezbollah for a strike over the weekend in the Golan Heights that killed about a dozen children who were playing on a soccer field in Majdal Shams.

, A swarm of people breached the perimeter of an Israeli base in protest of a military investigation into the potential abuse of a prisoner housed there. The protesters were upset with the announcement from the Israel Defense Forces that its Military Police Criminal Investigation Division was looking into the “suspected substantial abuse of a detainee” at the Sde Teiman base in Israel’s Negev desert, where Palestinian detainees have allegedly been held under extreme conditions. At least nine reservists were detained for questioning as part of the investigation. Reservists and civilians protested their detention. At least one hard-right lawmaker, Zvi Sukkot of the Religious Zionist Party, was there, according to the New York Times . Far-right lawmakers and activists breached the IDF’s Sde Teiman base after nine soldiers were taken for questioning for allegedly abusing a Palestinian detainee pic.twitter.com/x9ZVIcs2D9 — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) July 29, 2024 “The incident of breaking into the Sde Yemen base is extremely serious and against the law. Breaking into a military base and disturbing the order there is serious behavior that is not acceptable in any way. We are at war, and actions of this kind endanger the security of the country. I strongly condemn the incident and we are working to restore order at the base,” IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi said. He announced his support for the military prosecutor’s office and military police to investigate every incident. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, “I demand from all the members of the Knesset and especially from those responsible – to exercise it and calm the spirits immediately. The Israel Police must intervene and act immediately to restore law and order. I call on the protesters: leave the camp and let the IDF work and win.” Halevi noted the protest was “harming the IDF, the security of the state and the war effort.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Israel is continuing its operations in Gaza against Hamas and is preparing to retaliate against Hezbollah for a strike over the weekend in the Golan Heights that killed about a dozen children who were playing on a soccer field in Majdal Shams., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Israel-protest-1.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Mike Brest,

Israel’s war against Hamas looms over the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, that began this week.

The Israeli delegation of about 90 athletes is under significant law enforcement protection due to threats made against them, which Israeli officials have said come from Iran and other terrorist groups. There were also calls ahead of the Olympics to ban the Israeli delegation from competing, which were denied.

Earlier this week, a hard-left French politician, Thomas Portes, told a pro-Palestinian audience in Paris that the Israeli delegation “is not welcome in Paris,” which was condemned by Israeli leaders, as well as members of his own government.

Yonathan Arfi, the head of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France, accused Portes of “putting a target on the backs of Israeli athletes,” while French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin expressed his “disgust” at the comment.

There have been several arrests already this week, including the arrest of a Russian chef on the grounds that he was plotting a “large-scale project,” and seven people “suspected of participation in a terrorist group’s activities, financing of terrorism and preparation of a terrorist attack,” according to Belgian authorities, which noted they may not have been planning to attack the Olympics.

Darmanin also noted that about 1,000 people had been blocked from attending the Olympics due to concerns they may be meddling on behalf of a foreign power.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with French President Emmanuel Macron and thanked him for “ensuring the ability of the excellent Israeli delegation to compete proudly and fairly at the Olympic Games.”

On Friday, ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony, arsonists started fires along various points of France’s high-speed rail network far from the capital in an apparent coordinated attack. French authorities have not indicated who they believe is behind the fires.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the operation was “planned and executed under the influence of Ian’s axis of evil and radical Islam,” and he noted that he warned his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne that, “based on information held by Israel, Iranians are planning terrorist attacks against the Israeli delegation and all Olympic participants. Increased preventive measures must be taken to thwart their plot. The free world must stop Iran now – before it’s too late.”

Several Israeli officials have warned that Iran could be plotting an attack.

“Iran is exploiting an apolitical international sporting competition to promote digital terrorism against Israel and its right to participate in these competitions,” Israel’s National Cyber Directorate chief Gabi Portnoy said Thursday.

The war between Israel and Hamas has soured many of Israel’s relationships globally and has resulted in protests all over the world.

The anti-Israel sentiment was on display when the fans attending the Israel-Mali soccer game on Wednesday booed and jeered during the national anthem. The boos continued during the game each time the Israeli team touched the ball.

Looming over the Olympic Games are the Israeli scars from 1972, when eight members of the Palestinian militant group known as Black September stormed the Olympic Village in Germany and killed 11 Israelis and one German police officer.

Advocates who believe Israel’s delegation shouldn’t have been allowed to compete argue the International Olympic Committee is upholding a double standard because Russian and Belarusian athletes are being forced to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

As the Olympics begin, the world is waiting to see whether Israel and Hamas are able to come to a ceasefire agreement that would stop the fighting, which would allow for a significant surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza as well as the release of the roughly 100 hostages that remain in Gaza.

The families of those hostages have been critical of Israeli leaders whom they feel are dragging their feet on a deal that could secure the release of their loved ones.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Herzog told the Israeli Olympic delegation, “somewhere out there in Gaza, it could be that one of the hostages will see you for a second, and you will give them strength … this year we want to see the flag of Israel in every arena everywhere in the world.”

His comments angered Einav Zangauker, whose son was kidnapped from his home on Kibbutz Nir Oz, said, “Matan’s heart does not warm to see the president of the country normalizing the holding of hostages for the benefit of the Olympics, and the same goes for the women who are being sexually abused and all the other captive.”

2024-07-27 08:00:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F3100707%2Fisrael-hamas-war-looms-over-olympics%2F?w=600&h=450, Israel’s war against Hamas looms over the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, that began this week. The Israeli delegation of about 90 athletes is under significant law enforcement protection due to threats made against them, which Israeli officials have said come from Iran and other terrorist groups. There were also calls ahead of the,

Israel’s war against Hamas looms over the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, that began this week.

The Israeli delegation of about 90 athletes is under significant law enforcement protection due to threats made against them, which Israeli officials have said come from Iran and other terrorist groups. There were also calls ahead of the Olympics to ban the Israeli delegation from competing, which were denied.

Earlier this week, a hard-left French politician, Thomas Portes, told a pro-Palestinian audience in Paris that the Israeli delegation “is not welcome in Paris,” which was condemned by Israeli leaders, as well as members of his own government.

Yonathan Arfi, the head of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France, accused Portes of “putting a target on the backs of Israeli athletes,” while French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin expressed his “disgust” at the comment.

There have been several arrests already this week, including the arrest of a Russian chef on the grounds that he was plotting a “large-scale project,” and seven people “suspected of participation in a terrorist group’s activities, financing of terrorism and preparation of a terrorist attack,” according to Belgian authorities, which noted they may not have been planning to attack the Olympics.

Darmanin also noted that about 1,000 people had been blocked from attending the Olympics due to concerns they may be meddling on behalf of a foreign power.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with French President Emmanuel Macron and thanked him for “ensuring the ability of the excellent Israeli delegation to compete proudly and fairly at the Olympic Games.”

On Friday, ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony, arsonists started fires along various points of France’s high-speed rail network far from the capital in an apparent coordinated attack. French authorities have not indicated who they believe is behind the fires.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the operation was “planned and executed under the influence of Ian’s axis of evil and radical Islam,” and he noted that he warned his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne that, “based on information held by Israel, Iranians are planning terrorist attacks against the Israeli delegation and all Olympic participants. Increased preventive measures must be taken to thwart their plot. The free world must stop Iran now – before it’s too late.”

Several Israeli officials have warned that Iran could be plotting an attack.

“Iran is exploiting an apolitical international sporting competition to promote digital terrorism against Israel and its right to participate in these competitions,” Israel’s National Cyber Directorate chief Gabi Portnoy said Thursday.

The war between Israel and Hamas has soured many of Israel’s relationships globally and has resulted in protests all over the world.

The anti-Israel sentiment was on display when the fans attending the Israel-Mali soccer game on Wednesday booed and jeered during the national anthem. The boos continued during the game each time the Israeli team touched the ball.

Looming over the Olympic Games are the Israeli scars from 1972, when eight members of the Palestinian militant group known as Black September stormed the Olympic Village in Germany and killed 11 Israelis and one German police officer.

Advocates who believe Israel’s delegation shouldn’t have been allowed to compete argue the International Olympic Committee is upholding a double standard because Russian and Belarusian athletes are being forced to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

As the Olympics begin, the world is waiting to see whether Israel and Hamas are able to come to a ceasefire agreement that would stop the fighting, which would allow for a significant surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza as well as the release of the roughly 100 hostages that remain in Gaza.

The families of those hostages have been critical of Israeli leaders whom they feel are dragging their feet on a deal that could secure the release of their loved ones.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Herzog told the Israeli Olympic delegation, “somewhere out there in Gaza, it could be that one of the hostages will see you for a second, and you will give them strength … this year we want to see the flag of Israel in every arena everywhere in the world.”

His comments angered Einav Zangauker, whose son was kidnapped from his home on Kibbutz Nir Oz, said, “Matan’s heart does not warm to see the president of the country normalizing the holding of hostages for the benefit of the Olympics, and the same goes for the women who are being sexually abused and all the other captive.”

, Israel’s war against Hamas looms over the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, that began this week. The Israeli delegation of about 90 athletes is under significant law enforcement protection due to threats made against them, which Israeli officials have said come from Iran and other terrorist groups. There were also calls ahead of the Olympics to ban the Israeli delegation from competing, which were denied. Earlier this week, a hard-left French politician, Thomas Portes, told a pro-Palestinian audience in Paris that the Israeli delegation “is not welcome in Paris,” which was condemned by Israeli leaders, as well as members of his own government. Yonathan Arfi, the head of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France, accused Portes of “putting a target on the backs of Israeli athletes,” while French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin expressed his “disgust” at the comment. There have been several arrests already this week, including the arrest of a Russian chef on the grounds that he was plotting a “large-scale project,” and seven people “suspected of participation in a terrorist group’s activities, financing of terrorism and preparation of a terrorist attack,” according to Belgian authorities, which noted they may not have been planning to attack the Olympics. Darmanin also noted that about 1,000 people had been blocked from attending the Olympics due to concerns they may be meddling on behalf of a foreign power. Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with French President Emmanuel Macron and thanked him for “ensuring the ability of the excellent Israeli delegation to compete proudly and fairly at the Olympic Games.” On Friday, ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony, arsonists started fires along various points of France’s high-speed rail network far from the capital in an apparent coordinated attack. French authorities have not indicated who they believe is behind the fires. Athletes of Israel take a selfie aboard a boat in the floating parade on the Seine in Paris, France, before the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Nir Elias/Pool Photo via AP) Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the operation was “planned and executed under the influence of Ian’s axis of evil and radical Islam,” and he noted that he warned his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne that, “based on information held by Israel, Iranians are planning terrorist attacks against the Israeli delegation and all Olympic participants. Increased preventive measures must be taken to thwart their plot. The free world must stop Iran now – before it’s too late.” Several Israeli officials have warned that Iran could be plotting an attack. “Iran is exploiting an apolitical international sporting competition to promote digital terrorism against Israel and its right to participate in these competitions,” Israel’s National Cyber Directorate chief Gabi Portnoy said Thursday. The war between Israel and Hamas has soured many of Israel’s relationships globally and has resulted in protests all over the world. The anti-Israel sentiment was on display when the fans attending the Israel-Mali soccer game on Wednesday booed and jeered during the national anthem. The boos continued during the game each time the Israeli team touched the ball. Looming over the Olympic Games are the Israeli scars from 1972, when eight members of the Palestinian militant group known as Black September stormed the Olympic Village in Germany and killed 11 Israelis and one German police officer. Advocates who believe Israel’s delegation shouldn’t have been allowed to compete argue the International Olympic Committee is upholding a double standard because Russian and Belarusian athletes are being forced to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes due to Russia’s war in Ukraine. As the Olympics begin, the world is waiting to see whether Israel and Hamas are able to come to a ceasefire agreement that would stop the fighting, which would allow for a significant surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza as well as the release of the roughly 100 hostages that remain in Gaza. The families of those hostages have been critical of Israeli leaders whom they feel are dragging their feet on a deal that could secure the release of their loved ones. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Herzog told the Israeli Olympic delegation, “somewhere out there in Gaza, it could be that one of the hostages will see you for a second, and you will give them strength … this year we want to see the flag of Israel in every arena everywhere in the world.” His comments angered Einav Zangauker, whose son was kidnapped from his home on Kibbutz Nir Oz, said, “Matan’s heart does not warm to see the president of the country normalizing the holding of hostages for the benefit of the Olympics, and the same goes for the women who are being sexually abused and all the other captive.”, , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Olympics-Israel.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Mike Brest,

A senior Israeli official warned that Vice President Kamala Harris’s comments on Thursday after her meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could derail the ceasefire talks.

The Israeli official, who briefed reporters after the two leaders met, effectively argued that Harris’s comments showed a potential rift between the two allies that Hamas could exploit if Israel is further pressured into a deal.

“Hopefully the remarks Harris made in her press conference won’t be interpreted by Hamas as daylight between the U.S. and Israel, thereby making a deal harder to secure,” the senior official said, according to the Times of Israel.

“The more our enemies see that there is complete alignment of positions between Israel and the U.S., the more we increase the chance of securing the release of the hostages and decrease the chance of a regional war,” the senior official added. “The more the gap widens between our countries, the more we move away from a deal and thus also increase the possibility of a regional escalation.”

The vice president, in short remarks after the meeting, reiterated many of the comments the Biden administration has repeated over the course of the war, though she added emphasis on the plight of Palestinian civilians who have been displaced, lost loved ones, and face the threat of disease and famine.

Harris declared that she would not “look away in the face of these tragedies” and said she “will not be silent.”

The meeting had heightened importance, given Harris’s recent rise as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection campaign. It was her first meeting with a foreign leader since her rise and provided her with an opportunity to provide voters insight into the stance a potential Harris administration could take.

Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren told the Washington Examiner that he wasn’t surprised by Netanyahu’s address to Congress or Harris’s comments after their meeting, though he noted the Israeli leader is in the U.S. at “a totally unique juncture in America’s political history” and is trying to stay in both former President Donald Trump’s and Harris’s good graces for when one of them is sworn into office next January.

Harris called Hamas “a brutal terrorist organization” and said the group “triggered this war” with the Oct. 7 attack that left 1,200 people dead and another roughly 250 who were kidnapped and brought back to Gaza. Harris noted that “Israel has a right to defend itself, and how it does so matters.”

Her comments stand in contrast to Netanyahu, who defended the Israeli military’s actions during his Wednesday address to Congress and said that the number of civilian casualties was actually impressive amid the context of urban warfare against militants above and below ground who embed themselves within large civilian populations. The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry reports that roughly 39,000 Palestinians have been killed during the conflict, but the number does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

“Some said, ‘If Israel enters Rafah, Palestinian civilians have nowhere to go.’ But guess what, we entered and took Rafah, and there was the lowest rate of civilian casualties in the entire Gaza,” Netanyahu said.

The U.S. was among a large contingent of Western countries that advised Israel not to operate in Rafah. President Joe Biden, who also met with Netanyahu on Thursday, threatened months ago to withhold offensive military aid to Israel if it carried out a full-scale invasion of Rafah.

The vice president called for both sides to agree to the ceasefire deal that is now on the table, which would secure the release of dozens of the Israeli hostages whom Hamas kidnapped on Oct. 7.

U.S. officials are optimistic about the potential deal, though it has not been finalized yet and several previous attempts to get a ceasefire agreement across the finish line have failed.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“We are closer now than we’ve been before,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday afternoon.

Netanyahu is set to meet with Trump on Friday, and Oren predicted that any bad blood between the two leaders will be “ironed out” and that the former president is “going to make the case that the Republican Party is the true pro-Israel party.”

2024-07-26 15:46:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fforeign-policy%2F3100537%2Fisraeli-official-warns-harris-remarks-hamper-ceasefire-deal%2F?w=600&h=450, A senior Israeli official warned that Vice President Kamala Harris’s comments on Thursday after her meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could derail the ceasefire talks. The Israeli official, who briefed reporters after the two leaders met, effectively argued that Harris’s comments showed a potential rift between the two allies that Hamas could exploit if,

A senior Israeli official warned that Vice President Kamala Harris’s comments on Thursday after her meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could derail the ceasefire talks.

The Israeli official, who briefed reporters after the two leaders met, effectively argued that Harris’s comments showed a potential rift between the two allies that Hamas could exploit if Israel is further pressured into a deal.

“Hopefully the remarks Harris made in her press conference won’t be interpreted by Hamas as daylight between the U.S. and Israel, thereby making a deal harder to secure,” the senior official said, according to the Times of Israel.

“The more our enemies see that there is complete alignment of positions between Israel and the U.S., the more we increase the chance of securing the release of the hostages and decrease the chance of a regional war,” the senior official added. “The more the gap widens between our countries, the more we move away from a deal and thus also increase the possibility of a regional escalation.”

The vice president, in short remarks after the meeting, reiterated many of the comments the Biden administration has repeated over the course of the war, though she added emphasis on the plight of Palestinian civilians who have been displaced, lost loved ones, and face the threat of disease and famine.

Harris declared that she would not “look away in the face of these tragedies” and said she “will not be silent.”

The meeting had heightened importance, given Harris’s recent rise as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection campaign. It was her first meeting with a foreign leader since her rise and provided her with an opportunity to provide voters insight into the stance a potential Harris administration could take.

Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren told the Washington Examiner that he wasn’t surprised by Netanyahu’s address to Congress or Harris’s comments after their meeting, though he noted the Israeli leader is in the U.S. at “a totally unique juncture in America’s political history” and is trying to stay in both former President Donald Trump’s and Harris’s good graces for when one of them is sworn into office next January.

Harris called Hamas “a brutal terrorist organization” and said the group “triggered this war” with the Oct. 7 attack that left 1,200 people dead and another roughly 250 who were kidnapped and brought back to Gaza. Harris noted that “Israel has a right to defend itself, and how it does so matters.”

Her comments stand in contrast to Netanyahu, who defended the Israeli military’s actions during his Wednesday address to Congress and said that the number of civilian casualties was actually impressive amid the context of urban warfare against militants above and below ground who embed themselves within large civilian populations. The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry reports that roughly 39,000 Palestinians have been killed during the conflict, but the number does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

“Some said, ‘If Israel enters Rafah, Palestinian civilians have nowhere to go.’ But guess what, we entered and took Rafah, and there was the lowest rate of civilian casualties in the entire Gaza,” Netanyahu said.

The U.S. was among a large contingent of Western countries that advised Israel not to operate in Rafah. President Joe Biden, who also met with Netanyahu on Thursday, threatened months ago to withhold offensive military aid to Israel if it carried out a full-scale invasion of Rafah.

The vice president called for both sides to agree to the ceasefire deal that is now on the table, which would secure the release of dozens of the Israeli hostages whom Hamas kidnapped on Oct. 7.

U.S. officials are optimistic about the potential deal, though it has not been finalized yet and several previous attempts to get a ceasefire agreement across the finish line have failed.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“We are closer now than we’ve been before,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday afternoon.

Netanyahu is set to meet with Trump on Friday, and Oren predicted that any bad blood between the two leaders will be “ironed out” and that the former president is “going to make the case that the Republican Party is the true pro-Israel party.”

, A senior Israeli official warned that Vice President Kamala Harris’s comments on Thursday after her meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could derail the ceasefire talks. The Israeli official, who briefed reporters after the two leaders met, effectively argued that Harris’s comments showed a potential rift between the two allies that Hamas could exploit if Israel is further pressured into a deal. “Hopefully the remarks Harris made in her press conference won’t be interpreted by Hamas as daylight between the U.S. and Israel, thereby making a deal harder to secure,” the senior official said, according to the Times of Israel . “The more our enemies see that there is complete alignment of positions between Israel and the U.S., the more we increase the chance of securing the release of the hostages and decrease the chance of a regional war,” the senior official added. “The more the gap widens between our countries, the more we move away from a deal and thus also increase the possibility of a regional escalation.” Vice President Kamala Harris (right) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive before a meeting at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex in Washington on July 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) The vice president, in short remarks after the meeting, reiterated many of the comments the Biden administration has repeated over the course of the war, though she added emphasis on the plight of Palestinian civilians who have been displaced, lost loved ones, and face the threat of disease and famine. Harris declared that she would not “look away in the face of these tragedies” and said she “will not be silent.” The meeting had heightened importance, given Harris’s recent rise as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection campaign. It was her first meeting with a foreign leader since her rise and provided her with an opportunity to provide voters insight into the stance a potential Harris administration could take. Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren told the Washington Examiner that he wasn’t surprised by Netanyahu’s address to Congress or Harris’s comments after their meeting, though he noted the Israeli leader is in the U.S. at “a totally unique juncture in America’s political history” and is trying to stay in both former President Donald Trump’s and Harris’s good graces for when one of them is sworn into office next January. Harris called Hamas “a brutal terrorist organization” and said the group “triggered this war” with the Oct. 7 attack that left 1,200 people dead and another roughly 250 who were kidnapped and brought back to Gaza. Harris noted that “Israel has a right to defend itself, and how it does so matters.” Her comments stand in contrast to Netanyahu, who defended the Israeli military’s actions during his Wednesday address to Congress and said that the number of civilian casualties was actually impressive amid the context of urban warfare against militants above and below ground who embed themselves within large civilian populations. The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry reports that roughly 39,000 Palestinians have been killed during the conflict, but the number does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. “Some said, ‘If Israel enters Rafah, Palestinian civilians have nowhere to go.’ But guess what, we entered and took Rafah, and there was the lowest rate of civilian casualties in the entire Gaza,” Netanyahu said. The U.S. was among a large contingent of Western countries that advised Israel not to operate in Rafah. President Joe Biden, who also met with Netanyahu on Thursday, threatened months ago to withhold offensive military aid to Israel if it carried out a full-scale invasion of Rafah. The vice president called for both sides to agree to the ceasefire deal that is now on the table, which would secure the release of dozens of the Israeli hostages whom Hamas kidnapped on Oct. 7. U.S. officials are optimistic about the potential deal, though it has not been finalized yet and several previous attempts to get a ceasefire agreement across the finish line have failed. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER “We are closer now than we’ve been before,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday afternoon. Netanyahu is set to meet with Trump on Friday, and Oren predicted that any bad blood between the two leaders will be “ironed out” and that the former president is “going to make the case that the Republican Party is the true pro-Israel party.”, , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AP24207776227402-1-scaled-1024×683.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Mike Brest,

Fresh off his first address to Congress in nearly a decade, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to sit down with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Donald Trump in separate meetings later this week.

Netanyahu’s visit to the United States comes amid significant turmoil in U.S. domestic politics following both the unsuccessful assassination attempt against Trump, Biden’s decision to withdraw from the presidential race, in addition to Harris‘s emergence as his Democratic successor.

The Israeli leader will visit the White House on Thursday where he will meet with Biden and with Harris separately, according to White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre.

A senior U.S. administration official told reporters that Netanyahu and Biden will discuss “the very serious threats from Iran and from Iranian proxy and terrorist groups” in the region, developments in Gaza, including on the ceasefire and hostage release proposal, and the U.S.’s “ironclad commitment to Israel’s security.”

“We believe a deal is closable,” the official said. “It’s time to move to close that agreement.”

Netanyahu, during his address to Congress which was widely boycotted by Democrat lawmakers, thanked Biden for his continued efforts to secure the release of the roughly 100 hostages kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7 who remain in Gaza.

Biden laid out the framework for a ceasefire proposal on May 31, and U.S. officials have repeatedly indicated since then that negotiations are close but not over the finish line.

“The framework of the deal is basically there,” the official added. “We’re working out the implementation. There are some very serious implementation issues that still have to be resolved, and I don’t want to I don’t want to discount the difficulty of those, but they are the kind of implementation arrangements of the deal. There’s some things we need from Hamas and there’s some things you need from the Israeli side.”

The Israeli leader has faced domestic pressure and criticism from the families of the hostages, many of whom feel as if Netanyahu has delayed a possible deal that would secure the release of their loved ones.

The official indicated the U.S. would not hesitate to publicly criticize Netanyahu if the administration felt he was an impediment to a deal, noting, “If we draw that conclusion, we’ll say it very clearly.”

Neither Biden nor Harris was in attendance for Netanyahu’s address. Trump’s vice presidential running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), was not in attendance either.

Netanyahu praised several of Trump’s policies during his first administration and also condemned the assassination attempt against him last month.

“I also want to thank President Trump for all the things he did for Israel — from recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights … to recognizing Jerusalem as our capital and moving the American Embassy” there from Tel Aviv, he said.

During last month’s presidential debate, which effectively was the first domino to fall that resulted in the end of Biden’s reelection campaign, Trump said the president should allow Israel “to finish the job,” though in other comments has warned that Israel is losing the war of public perception.

Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Over the nine months of war, 39,000 people have been killed, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, though that number doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. Nearly the entire strip is facing the threat of famine.

Netanyahu defiantly defended Israel’s military actions in Gaza during his address, arguing that the number of civilians killed is a positive given the complexities of urban warfare and the tactics of Hamas, which include hiding and operating within and underneath civilian populations.

2024-07-25 08:00:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fforeign-policy%2F3098234%2Fnetanyahu-biden-harris-trump-meetings%2F?w=600&h=450, Fresh off his first address to Congress in nearly a decade, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to sit down with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Donald Trump in separate meetings later this week. Netanyahu’s visit to the United States comes amid significant turmoil in U.S. domestic politics following,

Fresh off his first address to Congress in nearly a decade, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to sit down with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Donald Trump in separate meetings later this week.

Netanyahu’s visit to the United States comes amid significant turmoil in U.S. domestic politics following both the unsuccessful assassination attempt against Trump, Biden’s decision to withdraw from the presidential race, in addition to Harris‘s emergence as his Democratic successor.

The Israeli leader will visit the White House on Thursday where he will meet with Biden and with Harris separately, according to White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre.

A senior U.S. administration official told reporters that Netanyahu and Biden will discuss “the very serious threats from Iran and from Iranian proxy and terrorist groups” in the region, developments in Gaza, including on the ceasefire and hostage release proposal, and the U.S.’s “ironclad commitment to Israel’s security.”

“We believe a deal is closable,” the official said. “It’s time to move to close that agreement.”

Netanyahu, during his address to Congress which was widely boycotted by Democrat lawmakers, thanked Biden for his continued efforts to secure the release of the roughly 100 hostages kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7 who remain in Gaza.

Biden laid out the framework for a ceasefire proposal on May 31, and U.S. officials have repeatedly indicated since then that negotiations are close but not over the finish line.

“The framework of the deal is basically there,” the official added. “We’re working out the implementation. There are some very serious implementation issues that still have to be resolved, and I don’t want to I don’t want to discount the difficulty of those, but they are the kind of implementation arrangements of the deal. There’s some things we need from Hamas and there’s some things you need from the Israeli side.”

The Israeli leader has faced domestic pressure and criticism from the families of the hostages, many of whom feel as if Netanyahu has delayed a possible deal that would secure the release of their loved ones.

The official indicated the U.S. would not hesitate to publicly criticize Netanyahu if the administration felt he was an impediment to a deal, noting, “If we draw that conclusion, we’ll say it very clearly.”

Neither Biden nor Harris was in attendance for Netanyahu’s address. Trump’s vice presidential running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), was not in attendance either.

Netanyahu praised several of Trump’s policies during his first administration and also condemned the assassination attempt against him last month.

“I also want to thank President Trump for all the things he did for Israel — from recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights … to recognizing Jerusalem as our capital and moving the American Embassy” there from Tel Aviv, he said.

During last month’s presidential debate, which effectively was the first domino to fall that resulted in the end of Biden’s reelection campaign, Trump said the president should allow Israel “to finish the job,” though in other comments has warned that Israel is losing the war of public perception.

Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Over the nine months of war, 39,000 people have been killed, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, though that number doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. Nearly the entire strip is facing the threat of famine.

Netanyahu defiantly defended Israel’s military actions in Gaza during his address, arguing that the number of civilians killed is a positive given the complexities of urban warfare and the tactics of Hamas, which include hiding and operating within and underneath civilian populations.

, Fresh off his first address to Congress in nearly a decade, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to sit down with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Donald Trump in separate meetings later this week. Netanyahu’s visit to the United States comes amid significant turmoil in U.S. domestic politics following both the unsuccessful assassination attempt against Trump, Biden’s decision to withdraw from the presidential race, in addition to Harris‘s emergence as his Democratic successor. The Israeli leader will visit the White House on Thursday where he will meet with Biden and with Harris separately, according to White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre. A senior U.S. administration official told reporters that Netanyahu and Biden will discuss “the very serious threats from Iran and from Iranian proxy and terrorist groups” in the region, developments in Gaza, including on the ceasefire and hostage release proposal, and the U.S.’s “ironclad commitment to Israel’s security.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to a joint meeting of Congress at the US Capitol on July 24, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Drew ANGERER / AFP) (Photo by DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images) “We believe a deal is closable,” the official said. “It’s time to move to close that agreement.” Netanyahu, during his address to Congress which was widely boycotted by Democrat lawmakers, thanked Biden for his continued efforts to secure the release of the roughly 100 hostages kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7 who remain in Gaza. Biden laid out the framework for a ceasefire proposal on May 31, and U.S. officials have repeatedly indicated since then that negotiations are close but not over the finish line. “The framework of the deal is basically there,” the official added. “We’re working out the implementation. There are some very serious implementation issues that still have to be resolved, and I don’t want to I don’t want to discount the difficulty of those, but they are the kind of implementation arrangements of the deal. There’s some things we need from Hamas and there’s some things you need from the Israeli side.” The Israeli leader has faced domestic pressure and criticism from the families of the hostages, many of whom feel as if Netanyahu has delayed a possible deal that would secure the release of their loved ones. The official indicated the U.S. would not hesitate to publicly criticize Netanyahu if the administration felt he was an impediment to a deal, noting, “If we draw that conclusion, we’ll say it very clearly.” Neither Biden nor Harris was in attendance for Netanyahu’s address. Trump’s vice presidential running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), was not in attendance either. Netanyahu praised several of Trump’s policies during his first administration and also condemned the assassination attempt against him last month. “I also want to thank President Trump for all the things he did for Israel — from recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights … to recognizing Jerusalem as our capital and moving the American Embassy” there from Tel Aviv, he said. During last month’s presidential debate, which effectively was the first domino to fall that resulted in the end of Biden’s reelection campaign, Trump said the president should allow Israel “to finish the job,” though in other comments has warned that Israel is losing the war of public perception. Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Over the nine months of war, 39,000 people have been killed, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, though that number doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. Nearly the entire strip is facing the threat of famine. Netanyahu defiantly defended Israel’s military actions in Gaza during his address, arguing that the number of civilians killed is a positive given the complexities of urban warfare and the tactics of Hamas, which include hiding and operating within and underneath civilian populations., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/netanyahu-congress-harris.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Mike Brest,

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu honored the hostages who were taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 during his address to Congress on Wednesday afternoon.

Netanyahu, who is in Washington amid a tumultuous week for U.S. domestic politics, brought Noa Argamani, one of the hostages who was rescued during an Israeli military mission recently, to his address.

“One of those freed hostages, Noa Argamani, is here in the gallery, sitting near my wife,” he said. “On the morning of Oct. 7, the entire world saw Noa’s look of desperation as she was violently abducted to Gaza on the back of a motorcycle.”

The prime minister also only briefly mentioned a possible ceasefire deal that could return all of the hostages remaining in Gaza.

“As we speak, we’re actively engaged in intensive efforts to secure their release. And I’m confident that these efforts can succeed. Some of them are taking place right now,” he said. “I want to thank President Biden for his tireless efforts on behalf of the hostages and for his efforts to the hostage families as well.”

Dozens of Democratic politicians boycotted Netanyahu’s address due to their concerns over Israel’s conduct in its war against Hamas in Gaza. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) silently protested his address in the chamber by holding a sign reading “War Criminal.”

“The pain these families have endured is beyond words,” Netanyahu added, and the prime minister also praised two soldiers who were in the chamber, a Bedouin Muslim and an Ethiopian Jew, who were injured fighting in Gaza.

Netanyahu said 255 people were taken hostage and 135 have been brought home either through the weeklong ceasefire deal in November or a handful of rescue operations.

The families of the hostages have hoped for months that Netanyahu and Hamas would come to an agreement to secure the release of their loved ones but a deal has continued to elude them.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“We were hoping that would be the case before he addresses Congress altogether, but at the very least here,” Efrat Moshkoviz, the aunt of Naama Levy, who was filmed on Oct. 7 getting dragged out of a Jeep bloodied in the crotch area, told the Washington Examiner before his address.

She said she wanted to hear “a very specific commitment to getting the deal done, to finding that path that will seal the deal in a matter of not even hours days imminent, and that’s that’s what we’re looking for,” though that largely did not come.

2024-07-24 20:00:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F3097842%2Fnetanyahu-hostages-speech-congress-gaza%2F?w=600&h=450, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu honored the hostages who were taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 during his address to Congress on Wednesday afternoon. Netanyahu, who is in Washington amid a tumultuous week for U.S. domestic politics, brought Noa Argamani, one of the hostages who was rescued during an Israeli military mission recently, to his,

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu honored the hostages who were taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 during his address to Congress on Wednesday afternoon.

Netanyahu, who is in Washington amid a tumultuous week for U.S. domestic politics, brought Noa Argamani, one of the hostages who was rescued during an Israeli military mission recently, to his address.

“One of those freed hostages, Noa Argamani, is here in the gallery, sitting near my wife,” he said. “On the morning of Oct. 7, the entire world saw Noa’s look of desperation as she was violently abducted to Gaza on the back of a motorcycle.”

The prime minister also only briefly mentioned a possible ceasefire deal that could return all of the hostages remaining in Gaza.

“As we speak, we’re actively engaged in intensive efforts to secure their release. And I’m confident that these efforts can succeed. Some of them are taking place right now,” he said. “I want to thank President Biden for his tireless efforts on behalf of the hostages and for his efforts to the hostage families as well.”

Dozens of Democratic politicians boycotted Netanyahu’s address due to their concerns over Israel’s conduct in its war against Hamas in Gaza. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) silently protested his address in the chamber by holding a sign reading “War Criminal.”

“The pain these families have endured is beyond words,” Netanyahu added, and the prime minister also praised two soldiers who were in the chamber, a Bedouin Muslim and an Ethiopian Jew, who were injured fighting in Gaza.

Netanyahu said 255 people were taken hostage and 135 have been brought home either through the weeklong ceasefire deal in November or a handful of rescue operations.

The families of the hostages have hoped for months that Netanyahu and Hamas would come to an agreement to secure the release of their loved ones but a deal has continued to elude them.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“We were hoping that would be the case before he addresses Congress altogether, but at the very least here,” Efrat Moshkoviz, the aunt of Naama Levy, who was filmed on Oct. 7 getting dragged out of a Jeep bloodied in the crotch area, told the Washington Examiner before his address.

She said she wanted to hear “a very specific commitment to getting the deal done, to finding that path that will seal the deal in a matter of not even hours days imminent, and that’s that’s what we’re looking for,” though that largely did not come.

, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu honored the hostages who were taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 during his address to Congress on Wednesday afternoon. Netanyahu, who is in Washington amid a tumultuous week for U.S. domestic politics, brought Noa Argamani, one of the hostages who was rescued during an Israeli military mission recently, to his address. “One of those freed hostages, Noa Argamani, is here in the gallery, sitting near my wife,” he said. “On the morning of Oct. 7, the entire world saw Noa’s look of desperation as she was violently abducted to Gaza on the back of a motorcycle.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to a joint meeting of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) The prime minister also only briefly mentioned a possible ceasefire deal that could return all of the hostages remaining in Gaza. “As we speak, we’re actively engaged in intensive efforts to secure their release. And I’m confident that these efforts can succeed. Some of them are taking place right now,” he said. “I want to thank President Biden for his tireless efforts on behalf of the hostages and for his efforts to the hostage families as well.” Dozens of Democratic politicians boycotted Netanyahu’s address due to their concerns over Israel’s conduct in its war against Hamas in Gaza. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) silently protested his address in the chamber by holding a sign reading “War Criminal.” “The pain these families have endured is beyond words,” Netanyahu added, and the prime minister also praised two soldiers who were in the chamber, a Bedouin Muslim and an Ethiopian Jew, who were injured fighting in Gaza. Netanyahu said 255 people were taken hostage and 135 have been brought home either through the weeklong ceasefire deal in November or a handful of rescue operations. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) silently protests Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congres on July 24, 2024 (Graeme Jennings/Washington Examiner) The families of the hostages have hoped for months that Netanyahu and Hamas would come to an agreement to secure the release of their loved ones but a deal has continued to elude them. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER “We were hoping that would be the case before he addresses Congress altogether, but at the very least here,” Efrat Moshkoviz, the aunt of Naama Levy, who was filmed on Oct. 7 getting dragged out of a Jeep bloodied in the crotch area, told the Washington Examiner before his address. She said she wanted to hear “a very specific commitment to getting the deal done, to finding that path that will seal the deal in a matter of not even hours days imminent, and that’s that’s what we’re looking for,” though that largely did not come., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Congress-Netanyahu-Speech-85813.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Mike Brest,

The families of the Americans held hostage by Hamas in Gaza have urged lawmakers to push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire deal that would return their loved ones.

Israel and Hamas are believed to be close to agreeing to a ceasefire, though the two sides have yet to come to a deal as is set to address both chambers of Congress on Wednesday.

Eight Americans, not all of whom are alive, are believed to be held by Hamas, which kidnapped roughly 250 people during its Oct. 7 terrorist attack, and the relatives of several of them spoke at a congressional roundtable event Tuesday with the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“I believe at this point, as an Israeli American, that any true friend of Israel today must pressure our prime minister to finish the deal now,” Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of Sagui Dekel-Chen, told the committee.

Daniel Neutra, whose brother Omer is among the hostages, added that the families met with Netanyahu on Tuesday, and “the urgency of the matter did not seem to resonate with him.”

“We must continue to put pressure on all parties involved, including Hamas, to accept this deal now before more people die in captivity,” he added.

Netanyahu is expected to receive a warm welcome from the Republican Party, while dozens of Democrats are already expected to boycott his address given the Israeli military’s conduct in the war. Vice President Kamala Harris, now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee for November’s election, will not attend either, though the officials will meet later this week. Netanyahu is also expected to meet with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

Efrat Moshkoviz, the aunt of Naama Levy, who was filmed on Oct. 7 getting dragged out of a jeep bloodied in the crotch area, will be in the audience for Netanyahu’s address.

“I want Netanyahu to look us in the eyes and tell us, and he’s doing everything he can, and the deal is right around the corner,” Moshkoviz told the Washington Examiner, though she acknowledged that the families had hoped a ceasefire deal would’ve been announced prior to his address.

“We were hoping that would be the case before he addresses Congress altogether, but at the very least here,” Moshkoviz said, she wants to hear “a very specific commitment to getting the deal done, to finding that path that will seal the deal in a matter of not even hours days imminent, and that’s that’s what we’re looking for.”

The committee also heard directly from Aviva Siegel, who was held hostage for more than seven weeks and was among the roughly 100 hostages who were freed during the weeklong ceasefire at the end of November. Her husband, Keith, is still being held by Hamas.

“I was in Gaza for 51 days, and I saw everything. I felt everything. We need to bring them back. We cannot allow ourselves, as humans, let them go through one more day like I went through,” she said. “I was starved while they ate in front of me. I was thirsty because I didn’t get any water. I was not allowed to stand or walk or move. Most of the time, I had to keep silent completely.”

“It’s so difficult to think about what more we were going to go through and what the girls are going through. Now I’m here thinking about Keith and the girls, and it’s too much for me to handle,” Siegel added. “Because I know where they are, and I know who they are with.”

Biden said on July 11 that Israel and Hamas had “agreed” to the “framework” of the proposal he laid out publicly back on May 31.

“I believe we’re inside the 10-yard line and driving toward the goal line in getting an agreement that would produce a ceasefire, get the hostages home, and put us on a better track to trying to build lasting peace and stability,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during the Aspen Security Forum last Friday.

The proposal Biden laid out, which has been supported by several Western governments, includes three phases, the first of which would last roughly six weeks. During that time, Israeli forces would withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza, the fighting would cease, a surge of humanitarian aid would flow into the strip, Hamas would release some of the hostages, women and children, while Israel would release a significantly higher number of Palestinians in Israeli detention.

During the first phase, the two sides would be able to hammer out the specific details of the second phase though it would broadly include the release of all remaining living hostages and the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The final stage would include the start of the reconstruction of Gaza and the return of the deceased hostages.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog declared on July 7, the nine-month anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack, that an “absolute majority” of the country supports a ceasefire deal that secures the release of the remaining hostages.

2024-07-23 22:24:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F3096120%2Ffamilies-of-hamas-hostages-urge-lawmakers-get-netanyahu-agree-deal%2F?w=600&h=450, The families of the Americans held hostage by Hamas in Gaza have urged lawmakers to push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire deal that would return their loved ones. Israel and Hamas are believed to be close to agreeing to a ceasefire, though the two sides have yet to come to,

The families of the Americans held hostage by Hamas in Gaza have urged lawmakers to push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire deal that would return their loved ones.

Israel and Hamas are believed to be close to agreeing to a ceasefire, though the two sides have yet to come to a deal as is set to address both chambers of Congress on Wednesday.

Eight Americans, not all of whom are alive, are believed to be held by Hamas, which kidnapped roughly 250 people during its Oct. 7 terrorist attack, and the relatives of several of them spoke at a congressional roundtable event Tuesday with the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“I believe at this point, as an Israeli American, that any true friend of Israel today must pressure our prime minister to finish the deal now,” Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of Sagui Dekel-Chen, told the committee.

Daniel Neutra, whose brother Omer is among the hostages, added that the families met with Netanyahu on Tuesday, and “the urgency of the matter did not seem to resonate with him.”

“We must continue to put pressure on all parties involved, including Hamas, to accept this deal now before more people die in captivity,” he added.

Netanyahu is expected to receive a warm welcome from the Republican Party, while dozens of Democrats are already expected to boycott his address given the Israeli military’s conduct in the war. Vice President Kamala Harris, now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee for November’s election, will not attend either, though the officials will meet later this week. Netanyahu is also expected to meet with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

Efrat Moshkoviz, the aunt of Naama Levy, who was filmed on Oct. 7 getting dragged out of a jeep bloodied in the crotch area, will be in the audience for Netanyahu’s address.

“I want Netanyahu to look us in the eyes and tell us, and he’s doing everything he can, and the deal is right around the corner,” Moshkoviz told the Washington Examiner, though she acknowledged that the families had hoped a ceasefire deal would’ve been announced prior to his address.

“We were hoping that would be the case before he addresses Congress altogether, but at the very least here,” Moshkoviz said, she wants to hear “a very specific commitment to getting the deal done, to finding that path that will seal the deal in a matter of not even hours days imminent, and that’s that’s what we’re looking for.”

The committee also heard directly from Aviva Siegel, who was held hostage for more than seven weeks and was among the roughly 100 hostages who were freed during the weeklong ceasefire at the end of November. Her husband, Keith, is still being held by Hamas.

“I was in Gaza for 51 days, and I saw everything. I felt everything. We need to bring them back. We cannot allow ourselves, as humans, let them go through one more day like I went through,” she said. “I was starved while they ate in front of me. I was thirsty because I didn’t get any water. I was not allowed to stand or walk or move. Most of the time, I had to keep silent completely.”

“It’s so difficult to think about what more we were going to go through and what the girls are going through. Now I’m here thinking about Keith and the girls, and it’s too much for me to handle,” Siegel added. “Because I know where they are, and I know who they are with.”

Biden said on July 11 that Israel and Hamas had “agreed” to the “framework” of the proposal he laid out publicly back on May 31.

“I believe we’re inside the 10-yard line and driving toward the goal line in getting an agreement that would produce a ceasefire, get the hostages home, and put us on a better track to trying to build lasting peace and stability,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during the Aspen Security Forum last Friday.

The proposal Biden laid out, which has been supported by several Western governments, includes three phases, the first of which would last roughly six weeks. During that time, Israeli forces would withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza, the fighting would cease, a surge of humanitarian aid would flow into the strip, Hamas would release some of the hostages, women and children, while Israel would release a significantly higher number of Palestinians in Israeli detention.

During the first phase, the two sides would be able to hammer out the specific details of the second phase though it would broadly include the release of all remaining living hostages and the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The final stage would include the start of the reconstruction of Gaza and the return of the deceased hostages.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog declared on July 7, the nine-month anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack, that an “absolute majority” of the country supports a ceasefire deal that secures the release of the remaining hostages.

, The families of the Americans held hostage by Hamas in Gaza have urged lawmakers to push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire deal that would return their loved ones. Israel and Hamas are believed to be close to agreeing to a ceasefire, though the two sides have yet to come to a deal as is set to address both chambers of Congress on Wednesday. Eight Americans, not all of whom are alive, are believed to be held by Hamas, which kidnapped roughly 250 people during its Oct. 7 terrorist attack, and the relatives of several of them spoke at a congressional roundtable event Tuesday with the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “I believe at this point, as an Israeli American, that any true friend of Israel today must pressure our prime minister to finish the deal now,” Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of Sagui Dekel-Chen, told the committee. Daniel Neutra, whose brother Omer is among the hostages, added that the families met with Netanyahu on Tuesday, and “the urgency of the matter did not seem to resonate with him.” “We must continue to put pressure on all parties involved, including Hamas, to accept this deal now before more people die in captivity,” he added. Netanyahu is expected to receive a warm welcome from the Republican Party, while dozens of Democrats are already expected to boycott his address given the Israeli military’s conduct in the war. Vice President Kamala Harris, now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee for November’s election, will not attend either, though the officials will meet later this week. Netanyahu is also expected to meet with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses lawmakers in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) Efrat Moshkoviz, the aunt of Naama Levy, who was filmed on Oct. 7 getting dragged out of a jeep bloodied in the crotch area, will be in the audience for Netanyahu’s address. “I want Netanyahu to look us in the eyes and tell us, and he’s doing everything he can, and the deal is right around the corner,” Moshkoviz told the Washington Examiner, though she acknowledged that the families had hoped a ceasefire deal would’ve been announced prior to his address. “We were hoping that would be the case before he addresses Congress altogether, but at the very least here,” Moshkoviz said, she wants to hear “a very specific commitment to getting the deal done, to finding that path that will seal the deal in a matter of not even hours days imminent, and that’s that’s what we’re looking for.” The committee also heard directly from Aviva Siegel, who was held hostage for more than seven weeks and was among the roughly 100 hostages who were freed during the weeklong ceasefire at the end of November. Her husband, Keith, is still being held by Hamas. “I was in Gaza for 51 days, and I saw everything. I felt everything. We need to bring them back. We cannot allow ourselves, as humans, let them go through one more day like I went through,” she said. “I was starved while they ate in front of me. I was thirsty because I didn’t get any water. I was not allowed to stand or walk or move. Most of the time, I had to keep silent completely.” “It’s so difficult to think about what more we were going to go through and what the girls are going through. Now I’m here thinking about Keith and the girls, and it’s too much for me to handle,” Siegel added. “Because I know where they are, and I know who they are with.” Biden said on July 11 that Israel and Hamas had “agreed” to the “framework” of the proposal he laid out publicly back on May 31. “I believe we’re inside the 10-yard line and driving toward the goal line in getting an agreement that would produce a ceasefire, get the hostages home, and put us on a better track to trying to build lasting peace and stability,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during the Aspen Security Forum last Friday. The proposal Biden laid out, which has been supported by several Western governments, includes three phases, the first of which would last roughly six weeks. During that time, Israeli forces would withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza, the fighting would cease, a surge of humanitarian aid would flow into the strip, Hamas would release some of the hostages, women and children, while Israel would release a significantly higher number of Palestinians in Israeli detention. During the first phase, the two sides would be able to hammer out the specific details of the second phase though it would broadly include the release of all remaining living hostages and the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The final stage would include the start of the reconstruction of Gaza and the return of the deceased hostages. Israeli President Isaac Herzog declared on July 7, the nine-month anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack, that an “absolute majority” of the country supports a ceasefire deal that secures the release of the remaining hostages., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/israel-hostages-protest.jpeg.optimal.jpeg, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Mike Brest,

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), who challenged President Joe Biden‘s reelection campaign, accused Biden of not being mentally capable of governing for another term long before the growing chorus of party members echoing that sentiment led him to leave the race.

Phillips was one of a handful of outsiders that tried to challenge but never threatened Biden’s candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination, though he dropped out and eventually endorsed Biden despite his concerns about the president‘s mental fitness.

“At that stage of life, it is impossible ultimately to conduct, to prosecute the office of the American presidency in the way that this country in the world needs right now,” he told Axios in January. “That is an absolute truth.”

When Phillips ended his campaign in March, he said in a WCCO Radio interview that while he thinks Biden “is at a stage in life where his capacities are diminished, he is still a man of competency and decency and integrity. And the alternative, Donald Trump is a very dangerous, dangerous man,” per the Associated Press.

While Biden frequently has had mental miscues over the course of his administration, questions about his mental fitness for office did not become mainstream within the party until after the June 27 presidential debate with former President Donald Trump. Biden appeared lost, confused, and unable to articulate key points during the debate.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

A day after the debate, Phillips posted a quote from Mahatma Gandhi on X, “Speak only if it improves upon the silence.”

Since then, more than two dozen lawmakers from the Democratic Party called on him to resign, though he had shown very little indication he would until he announced his decision to drop out of the race on Sunday afternoon.

2024-07-21 21:14:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3092957%2Fdean-phillips-longshot-bid-biden-age-validated%2F?w=600&h=450, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), who challenged President Joe Biden‘s reelection campaign, accused Biden of not being mentally capable of governing for another term long before the growing chorus of party members echoing that sentiment led him to leave the race. Phillips was one of a handful of outsiders that tried to challenge but never threatened,

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), who challenged President Joe Biden‘s reelection campaign, accused Biden of not being mentally capable of governing for another term long before the growing chorus of party members echoing that sentiment led him to leave the race.

Phillips was one of a handful of outsiders that tried to challenge but never threatened Biden’s candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination, though he dropped out and eventually endorsed Biden despite his concerns about the president‘s mental fitness.

“At that stage of life, it is impossible ultimately to conduct, to prosecute the office of the American presidency in the way that this country in the world needs right now,” he told Axios in January. “That is an absolute truth.”

When Phillips ended his campaign in March, he said in a WCCO Radio interview that while he thinks Biden “is at a stage in life where his capacities are diminished, he is still a man of competency and decency and integrity. And the alternative, Donald Trump is a very dangerous, dangerous man,” per the Associated Press.

While Biden frequently has had mental miscues over the course of his administration, questions about his mental fitness for office did not become mainstream within the party until after the June 27 presidential debate with former President Donald Trump. Biden appeared lost, confused, and unable to articulate key points during the debate.

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A day after the debate, Phillips posted a quote from Mahatma Gandhi on X, “Speak only if it improves upon the silence.”

Since then, more than two dozen lawmakers from the Democratic Party called on him to resign, though he had shown very little indication he would until he announced his decision to drop out of the race on Sunday afternoon.

, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), who challenged President Joe Biden‘s reelection campaign, accused Biden of not being mentally capable of governing for another term long before the growing chorus of party members echoing that sentiment led him to leave the race. Phillips was one of a handful of outsiders that tried to challenge but never threatened Biden’s candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination, though he dropped out and eventually endorsed Biden despite his concerns about the president‘s mental fitness. “At that stage of life, it is impossible ultimately to conduct, to prosecute the office of the American presidency in the way that this country in the world needs right now,” he told Axios in January. “That is an absolute truth.” When Phillips ended his campaign in March, he said in a WCCO Radio interview that while he thinks Biden “is at a stage in life where his capacities are diminished, he is still a man of competency and decency and integrity. And the alternative, Donald Trump is a very dangerous, dangerous man,” per the Associated Press . While Biden frequently has had mental miscues over the course of his administration, questions about his mental fitness for office did not become mainstream within the party until after the June 27 presidential debate with former President Donald Trump. Biden appeared lost, confused, and unable to articulate key points during the debate. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER A day after the debate, Phillips posted a quote from Mahatma Gandhi on X, “Speak only if it improves upon the silence.” Since then, more than two dozen lawmakers from the Democratic Party called on him to resign, though he had shown very little indication he would until he announced his decision to drop out of the race on Sunday afternoon., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AP24033827884972-scaled-1024×683.jpg, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Mike Brest,