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US submits draft resolution to UN Security Council calling for Gaza ceasefire — Blinken
https://tass.com/world/1762981
ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT 21 MAR, 01:58

US House Speaker set to invite Netanyahu to address Congress
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68631499
March 21, 2024 By Max Matza, BBC News

'A huge mistake': Kamala Harris warns Israel against invasion of Rafah
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-793487
By EVE YOUNG MARCH 24, 2024 16:42 Updated: MARCH 25, 2024 10:58

VP Harris doesn’t rule out consequences for Israel if it goes ahead with Rafah op
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/vp-harris-there-could-be-consequences-from-the-us-if-israel-moves-into-rafah/
By JACOB MAGID FOLLOW, 24 March 2024, 5:06 pm

Upon first being pressed on ABC’s “This Week” whether there would be consequences from the US if Israel moves into Rafah, Harris responds, “We’re going to take it one step at a time.”

But after the question was raised a second time, she says, “I am ruling out nothing.”

“We have been clear in multiple conversations and in every way that any major military operation in Rafah would be a huge mistake,” Harris explains.

“I have studied the maps. There’s nowhere for those folks to go. We’re looking at about a million and a half people in Rafah who are there because they were told to go there… so we’ve been very clear that it would be a mistake to move into Rafah with any type of military operation,” the vice president adds.

Commenting on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s recent speech calling for early elections in Israel to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Harris says, “I will not speak for Senator Schumer, but we are very clear that that is on the Israeli people to make a decision about when they will have an election and who of course they elect to lead their government.”

Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden referred to an Israeli operation in Rafah as a “red line,” when pushed during an MSNBC interview. He subsequently backtracked and the White House has since maintained that such talk “is not stated as a declaration of our policy.”

Gaza war: Israeli offensive in Rafah would be a huge mistake, says US Vice President Kamala Harris
https://www.wionews.com/world/gaza-war-israeli-offensive-in-rafah-would-be-a-huge-mistake-says-us-vice-president-kamala-harris-704011
Washington, Edited By Harshit Sabarwal Updated Mar 25, 2024, 01:15 PM IST

United States (US) Vice President Kamala Harris said on Sunday (Mar 24) that Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip's Rafah would be a huge mistake. “We have been clear in multiple conversations and in every way that any major military operation in Rafah would be a huge mistake," Vice President Harris told ABC News. On being asked whether there would be consequences of the Rafah offensive, Harris said, "I am ruling out nothing."

...

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel would go it alone if Washington remained opposed to plans to push into Rafah against the territory's southern border fence.

"I also said that we have no way to defeat Hamas without going into Rafah and eliminating the rest of the battalions there. And I told him that I hope we will do it with the support of the US, but if we have to - we will do it alone," Netanyahu said in a video statement to reporters.

Biden and Harris throw Israel under the Gaza bus
https://www.thejc.com/lets-talk/biden-and-harris-throw-israel-under-the-gaza-bus-x182gmnaMarch 25, 2024 15:10

Biden is isolating Israel. He believes he is doing so for the good of America and the good of the Democratic party. But the real truth of his new position is that he refuses to acknowledge that it is a new position. In it he knows there is something shameful: the letting down of an ally at war and the slow abandonment of 134 innocent hostages that include Americans.

Harris finds herself, often, a half step further than Biden on Israel
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/26/kamala-harris-joe-biden-israel-00148955
03/26/2024 05:00 AM EDT By EUGENE DANIELS, ALEXANDER WARD and JONATHAN LEMIRE

Vice President Harris Threatened Israel — and Democrats Must Respond
https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/03/26/vice-president-harris-threatened-israel-and-democrats-must-respond/
MARCH 26, 2024 11:12 AM by Irit Tratt

Israel cancels Washington trip; US’s Harris warns against attack on Rafah
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-03-26-israel-cancels-washington-trip-uss-harris-warns-against-attack-on-rafah/
26 MARCH 2024

Until now, President Joe Biden’s administration had blocked multiple resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza in the almost six months since the Israel-Hamas war began. The US has long been steadfast in championing Israel at the UN, voting against dozens of resolutions seen as going against its ally’s interests.

The last time the US openly defied Israel’s position in a major UN debate was in 2016, when the Obama administration abstained on a Security Council resolution that called Israeli settlements illegal and demanded a halt to their expansion.

The text that was adopted on Monday demands “an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan”, which started on 10 March, and contends that should lead to a “lasting” and “sustainable” ceasefire. It also calls for the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” but doesn’t call that a requirement for a ceasefire.

Netanyahu’s office said that the US failure to veto the resolution “gives Hamas hope that international pressure will force Israel to accept a ceasefire without the release of our hostages, thus harming both the war effort and the effort to release the hostages”.

...

After the action at the UN, Netanyahu’s office called off a US visit by Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi. They were due to leave on Monday evening for meetings with Biden administration officials on Israel’s planned invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah and ways to greatly increase humanitarian aid to the embattled area.

Visualizing the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/28/us/visuals-maps-key-bridge-ship-collapse-dg/index.htmlBy Lou Robinson, Renee Rigdon, Amy O'Kruk, Matt Stiles, Henrik Pettersson, Annette Choi, Alex Leeds Matthews and Rachel Wilson, CNN Updated 2:04 PM EDT, Thu March 28, 2024

AROUND 1:29 A.M. The ship’s speed over ground is recorded at just under 8 miles per hour at this time. Until approximately 1:29:33, the VDR audio records sounds consistent with the collision with the bridge. Additionally, MDTA dash cameras show the bridge lights extinguishing.

1:29:39 A.M. The pilot radioes the US Coast Guard to report the bridge is down.

Israel admits it may not be able to destroy Hamas now US has turned its back
https://www.yahoo.com/news/israel-admits-may-not-able-160517144.html
Melanie Swan Wed, March 27, 2024 at 10:05 AM MDT

Baltimore Coal Exports Blocked After Bridge Collapse
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Baltimore-Coal-Exports-Blocked-After-Bridge-Collapse.html
By Tsvetana Paraskova - Mar 27, 2024, 9:15 AM CDT

Ukraine Is Now 'Holy War,' Russian Church Declares
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-war-holy-1884577
Published Mar 28, 2024 at 12:12 PM EDT Updated Mar 28, 2024 at 12:30 PM EDT

Baltimore longshoremen ‘worried to death’ for livelihoods after Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse
https://nypost.com/2024/03/28/us-news/baltimore-longshoremen-worry-for-livelihoods-after-bridge-collapse/
By Social Links forSteven Vago and Social Links forIsabel Keane Published March 28, 2024, 3:23 p.m. ET

Blinken warns: Israel risks becoming indistinguishable from Hamas if it doesn’t protect Gaza civilians
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/blinken-warns-israel-risks-becoming-indistinguishable-from-hamas-if-it-doesnt-protect-gaza-civilians/
By JACOB MAGID FOLLOW, 4 April 2024, 10:26 pm

In 45-minute call, Biden gives Netanyahu ultimatum over Israeli conduct in Gaza War, President says US policy to be tied to Israeli response to humanitarian situation
https://allisrael.com/in-45-minute-call-biden-gives-netanyahu-ultimatum-over-israeli-conduct-in-gaza-war
All Israel News Staff | Published: April 5, 2024 (phone call was on the 4th, US time)

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in this White House handout image taken in the Oval Office in Washington, April 4, 2024. (Photo: The White House/Handout via REUTERS)

U.S. President Joe Biden issued an ultimatum to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take concrete steps to protect Palestinian civilians and foreign aid workers in Gaza, or risk a change in U.S. support for Israel in its war against Hamas.

In their first phone call after an Israeli airstrike mistakenly killed 7 workers from the World Central Kitchen aid group, triggering global outrage, President Biden warned Netanyahu that US policy regarding aid to Israel would be contingent on Israeli actions, saying the attack which killed 7 humanitarian workers was “intolerable.”

New Jersey, New York City rocked by 4.8 magnitude earthquake
The earthquake was centered near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.
https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/48-magnitude-earthquake-rocks-northeast/story?id=108892064
By Emily Shapiro, April 5, 2024, 11:28 AM ET

Aftershocks rattle Northeast after rare 4.8 magnitude earthquake hits region
It was the third largest earthquake recorded in the area in the last five decades and the strongest in New Jersey in more than 240 years
USGS said the initial earthquake occurred at 10:23 a.m.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/05/us/earthquake-nyc-nj-northeast/index.html
By Ray Sanchez and Alaa Elassar, CNN

Biden threatens Netanyahu: Gaza policy will change if Israel doesn’t meet US conditions
https://israel365news.com/388814/biden-threatens-netanyahu-gaza-policy-will-change-if-israel-doesnt-meet-us-conditions/
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz, APRIL 5, 2024

Biden’s response to Netanyahu means the US-Israeli relationship has changed for good
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ar-BB1l93Bk
Story by Andrew Feinberg • April 5, 2024

It’s less than 24 hours since President Joe Biden bluntly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu there would be consequences if the IDF does not take steps to protect Palestinian civilians and aid workers. And it appears Mr Netanyahu has taken notice.

...

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Thursday that Biden had made clear that “absent changes in the protection of civilians on the ground, absent changes to the volume of humanitarian assistance getting in, absent any movement on a ceasefire that will allow hostages to get out and more aid to get in, absent ... a calming down, that he will have to reconsider his own policy choices with respect to Gaza”.

“If there’s no changes to [Israeli] policy and their approaches, then there’s going to have to be changes to ours,” Kirby added.

...

Biden has been hamstrung in his ability to push Netanayahu into changing course.

But the president may be hamstrung no longer.

Within hours of the call between the US president and the Israeli prime minister, Israeli officials announced the opening of another land crossing into northern Gaza. That opening should allow an influx of aid into a conflict zone that has been on the verge of famine for weeks now.

...

Netanyahu’s government may follow through on their commitments, which, in theory, would mean Biden won’t have reason to change any policy towards Israel or Gaza. But just because there might not be any policy change doesn’t mean there’s been no change at all.

It’s now no longer taboo for the US president to consider conditioning defence assistance on Israel’s behaviour on the battlefield.

Even if that doesn’t happen, the fact that it can now be discussed openly in the White House might be the biggest change to come out of this war.

Biden Spooked by Reporter’s Question: ‘Where Are You from, Man?’
https://www.dailyfetched.com/biden-spooked-by-reporters-question-where-are-you-from-man/
By: Jason Walsh, April 6, 2024

Joe Biden: “I asked them to do what they’re doing.”

Joe Biden: “Where you from, man?” pic.twitter.com/ebtF1pngXA

“I asked them to do what they’re doing,” Biden responded before turning and walking away.

As The Western Journal noted, “U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also stated that the priority for America within Gaza is no longer fighting Hamas but instead protecting civilians and providing aid to those in need.

The United States is expecting Israel to make way for support to be given to Gaza residents and ignore the reality of giving Hamas time to recoup.

So why Biden would snap at a reporter asking a very relevant question is odd. Is he upset that his demands of Israel aren’t working out the way he wanted? Is he concerned that public perception surrounding his administration’s handling of the conflict in Gaza is shifting against him?"

The Obama and Biden Administrations' Betrayal of America's Closest Ally in the Middle East: Israel
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20547/obama-biden-betray-israel
by Majid Rafizadeh April 6, 2024 at 5:00 am

The Biden administration persists in granting victories to Hamas and its primary supporters, Qatar and Iran, and in a way that only strengthens their positions in support of terrorism.
...
The White House actions have bolstered America's adversaries and pretty much extinguished America's credibility as an ally. The universal "optics" are that if America will throw its closest ally, Israel, under the bus, what chance has anyone else got?
...
Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton, mincing no words in his condemnation of the Biden administration's stance, labeled it "confused" and "dangerous." He pointed out the dangerous precedent the Biden administration had set by allowing Hamas to wield a "terrorist veto" over Israel of the right to defend itself — a move that not only undermines Israel's security but also seriously weakens global counterterrorism efforts.

Senator Bill Hagerty further denounced the administration's actions as a betrayal of both Israel and the American citizens still held hostage by Hamas terrorists.

The apparent willingness by the Biden administration to appease the sponsors of Hamas — Qatar and Iran — at the expense of strategic alliances, underscores a troubling shift in US foreign policy priorities, one that seems to value winning votes in Michigan on November 5 over longstanding geostrategic alliances.

The Biden administration's actions at the UN Security Council additionally dealt a severe blow to efforts aimed at securing the release of hostages held by Hamas. By separating Hamas's demands from the release of hostages, Resolution 2728 significantly worsened the situation for those held captive -- including six remaining Americans -- an outcome that Israel rightly saw as a breach of trust.

Former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman drew parallels between the Biden administration's actions and the infamous UNSC Resolution 2334 during the Obama administration — a move that similarly undermined Israel's position on the international stage and encouraged terrorists worldwide.

Biden Says Israel Is Doing What He Asked, Signaling No Change in US Support Israel says it's opening an additional border crossing into northern Gaza but only 'temporarily' https://news.antiwar.com/2024/04/07/biden-says-israel-is-doing-what-he-asked-signaling-no-change-in-us-support/ by Dave DeCamp April 7, 2024 at 2:17 pm ET CategoriesNewsTagsGaza, Israel

IDF ends active ground invasion, completely withdraws from southern Gaza. The decision came less than two days after Israel opened the Erez Crossing and Ashdod port to transfer humanitarian aid.
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-795724
By YONAH JEREMY BOB APRIL 7, 2024 12:06 Updated: APRIL 7, 2024 15:44

The IDF on Sunday announced that it had concluded the active invasion stage of the war for now while leaving open the possibility of a future new invasion of Rafah in deep southern Gaza.

In terms of IDF soldiers, this means that the IDF has withdrawn all of Division 98 from Khan Yunis in southern Gaza while maintaining one plus brigade—the Nahal brigade and portions of Brigade 401—in northern and central Gaza.

Although a top IDF official said that this change had nothing to do with US pressure, the timing was unmistakable in coming right after the IDF’s disastrous mistaken killing of seven humanitarian aid workers last week.

The decision also came less than two days after Israel opened the Erez Crossing and Ashdod port to transfer humanitarian aid, decisions made under threat by the US of potentially losing weapons support after Jerusalem had refused these requests from Washington for months.
...
Hamas immediately declared the IDF withdrawal, even partial, a victory for sticking to its position of demanding IDF withdrawals, including of troops in northern Gaza.

The world’s attention will likely now shift to whether the IDF will invade Rafah first, whether Hamas will cut a deal for the hostages to avoid such an invasion, or whether Israel will concede further to Hamas’s demands for returning more Palestinians to northern Gaza.
...
United Right Party leader Gideon Sa’ar commented on the move in a post on X. "Regardless of what happens later in the war, the continuous decrease in the size of the forces and the intensity of the military pressure over the past months - has kept us far away from achieving the war goals."

"This is directly connected to our moving away from arriving at a new hostage deal," he added.

Is Biden Cutting Long-Time Ally Israel Adrift? https://issuesinsights.com/2024/04/08/what-were-reading-israel-abandoned-irans-threat-u-s-economy-fizzles-and-more/

The Foolishness of Threatening to Cut Support for Israel — American Thinkers

Joe Biden keeps on delivering a dangerous two-faced approach with Israel — NY Post

Has Terrorist Hamas (And Biden) Checkmated Israel? — Powerline

Democrat Division Intensifies As Ex-Speaker Pelosi Joins Call For Biden To Stop Arming Israel — ZeroHedge

Biden Admin Wants to Label Jewish Goods From ‘Occupied Territory’ — PJ Media

The Peril Of Being In A War Zone — Powerline

The Obama and Biden Administrations’ Betrayal of America’s Closest Ally in the Middle East: Israel — Gatestone Institute

The global onslaught against Israel — Melanie Phillips, Substack

Analysis | The World Central Kitchen Debacle Happened in a World Already Suffering From 'Israel Fatigue'
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-04-05/ty-article/.premium/the-world-central-kitchen-debacle-happened-in-a-world-already-suffering-israel-fatigue/0000018e-ae11-dc75-afde-fef1ac430000
By Alon Pinkas, Apr 5, 2024 5:21 pm IDT