Palestinians amid the wreckage of a house in Rafah destroyed by Israeli bombardment, February 14, 2024. Photo: AP.
Al-Carmel Editorial Team – Feb 14, 2024
The US Senate has approved $14 billion in aid to “Israel” to bolster its military dominance. This coincides with Washington granting its approval to the Israeli occupation army to launch a broad assault on the city of Rafah, although in a manner that preserves the image of the United States.
Throughout this entire war since October 7, 2023, the United States has carried out a grand diplomatic performance of lying, subterfuge, and deception.
Initially, it staunchly provided comprehensive support to the Israeli occupation in its genocidal war on Palestine, on all fronts: political, diplomatic, financial, and military.
Subsequently, it faced global public pressure, particularly in Europe and the United States, due to the magnitude of Israeli crimes, culminating in South Africa’s efforts to hold “Israel” accountable for genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip at the International Court of Justice. Consequently, and due to Washington’s fear of military tensions in the Levant and the Red Sea, the United States resorted to changing its stance by reducing its public statements on this matter and claiming to intensify diplomatic efforts to halt the war and promote the idea that the Israeli war on Gaza is nearing its end, while emphasizing the necessity of implementing the two-state solution. Washington even appointed itself as the “official mediator” for these negotiations between “Israel” and the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, and the primary guarantor for implementing the provisions of an agreement that is being cooked up with Qatar and Egypt.
Washington’s deception has heavily promoted an image of a strained relationship between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While there are many differences and divergent views between them regarding the duration of the war and its aftermath, these do not disrupt the strategic alliance between Washington and the occupation entity.
The disagreement between the two men has become fodder for dramatic stories in US media. In this context, the US mainstream newspaper The Washington Post published an article headlined “President Biden and his top aides are closer to a breach with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than at any time since the Gaza War began.”
The Washington Post claimed that the main points of contention include:
- Washington’s insistence on the necessity of protecting civilians;
- Post-war scenarios and the two-state solution;
- The Israeli operation in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
Robbery as a Political Decision: Israeli Army Robs Bank of Palestine in Gaza
The lie of rejecting aggression on Rafah
Perhaps the item labeled “the two-state solution” is the only truly contentious issue between Biden and Netanyahu. The latter rejects the former’s proposal to initiate negotiations under the banner of “the two-state solution.” Additionally, Netanyahu refuses any commitment to negotiate the establishment of a Palestinian state, even if this commitment were purely verbal and limited.
As for the protection of civilians, that is Washington’s biggest lie since the beginning of the war because the United States covered up all the occupation’s crimes in Gaza, diplomatically and in the media, and continued to provide military support to the Israeli army to complete the extermination of Gaza residents and render the Gaza Strip uninhabitable.
The attack on Rafah is Washington’s latest lie in this war that is being exposed. While the White House recently announced its unequivocal rejection of an Israeli military operation in Rafah and affirmed its “constant concern to reduce the number of civilian casualties among Palestinians and Israelis,” US officials have reiterated that what matters to them is the Israeli army’s approval of a plan to evacuate civilians from Rafah before launching a wide-scale attack on the southern Gaza Strip. These statements served as a green light for a broad assault on Rafah.
Statements from the White House’s strategic affairs coordinator, John Kirby, on Monday, February 12, revealed the latest US deception. When asked about the casualties of the Israeli bombardment on Rafah that took place the previous night, Kirby said that he “cannot confirm that civilians were killed over the weekend in Rafah due to Israeli operations.” He added, “I just want to express how pleased we are to hear the news of two Israeli hostages freed last night by Israeli Defense Forces in Rafah.”
It is worth noting that this operation led to the death of more than 100 Palestinian civilians. Most importantly, Kirby confirmed that his government “does not support a general ceasefire at this time.”
$14 billion to “Israel”
The second indication of Washington’s deception is the step taken by the US Senate, led by the Democrats, towards a final approval of a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, “Israel,” and Taiwan. Members of the US Senate voted on Monday, February 12, with a majority of 66 votes to 33, surpassing the required 60 votes and overcoming the final procedural obstacle before the ultimate consideration of the bill. Senate leaders expect the package to be approved within two days. The legislation includes $60 billion for Ukraine, $14.1 billion for “Israel” amid the ongoing war in Gaza, and $4.83 billion to support partners in the Indo-Pacific region, such as Taiwan, “to deter Chinese aggression.”
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/DZ/SC
