Ex-Israel diplomat: US fears paying price for Israel's mistakes in Gaza

A former Israeli diplomat said the United States is afraid of having to pay the price for mistakes that Israel could make in the war on Gaza.

In an analysis published by Haaretz yesterday, Alon Pinkas said the US administration has low confidence in the Israeli leadership’s decisions, adding that Washington views the war on Gaza from a broad angle and its agenda of priorities is much greater than Tel Aviv’s narrow interests.

He pointed out that the US’s concerns about Israel’s behaviour during the war have prompted it to deepen its intervention in the war in an unprecedented manner, stressing that Washington is particularly afraid that Israel’s operations will lead to the outbreak of a regional war.

The former diplomat explained that the Americans did not receive convincing responses to their question about what the political reality should look like in the Gaza Strip after the war.

In this context, Amos Harel, a military commentator for the Haaretz newspaper, said the date, size and location of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip will be determined by both the American administration and the Israeli army.

In an analysis published by the paper yesterday, Harel indicated that the ground operation could be delayed for a more appropriate time, pointing out that the US demands all opportunities to release dual-nationals from Gaza be exhausted ahead of any ground invasion.

According to Harel, the US has sent officers to Israel to discuss the army’s combat plans, citing the New York Times report that the Biden administration fears that Israel has no goals that can be achieved from the war on Gaza.

He added that the Americans believe the Israeli army’s plans do not guarantee the achievement of Tel Aviv’s declared goal of the war, which is to eliminate Hamas.

He also pointed out that the ground operation will be carried out in specific areas of the Gaza Strip, and it does not only aim to harm Hamas’ military capabilities, but rather aims to “restore” Israel’s deterrent power and the Israeli public’s confidence in the army.

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