The diplomatic visits from the USA have resumed: the American National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, landed in Israel this morning (Thursday) for a diplomatic visit where he will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Yitzhak Herzog and members of the War Cabinet. Sullivan arrives in Israel after a visit to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
During the meetings, Sullivan is expected to discuss with members of the Israeli leadership the plans for the continuation of the war in Gaza, as well as the preparation for the day after. The American adviser is also expected to raise the security situation in the north in the meetings, in the shadow of the threat of Hezbollah and the demand in Israel to keep the Lebanese terrorist organization away from the border.
Last night, the White House spokesman, John Kirby, said that the US is interested in helping Israel to reduce harm to the citizens of Gaza as part of the war against Hamas. In an interview with the MSNBC network, Kirby claimed that Sullivan "will come to help Israel fight - but also to reduce civilian casualties. We know that Israel made efforts - they put in less forces than in the north and published maps, but despite these their intentions we want them to be more focused. We will advise them to be more careful."
Kirby clarified that "the US will continue to make sure that Israel always has the tools and weapons it needs to destroy Hamas, but President Biden also wants Israel to start thinking and talking to us about what the day after the war will look like in Gaza - who will be in power and how we will meet the needs of the Palestinian citizens , most of whom do not support Hamas and do not think that Hamas represents them. We will also work on how to reform the Palestinian Authority."
