Israel Enters Rafah As Negotiations With Hamas Breakdown and Bibi Tells

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Israeli troops pressed deep into the southern Gaza city of Rafah Friday, seizing the main road dividing the east and west halves of that city and effectively encircling the eastern portion. This movement came as Hamas “negotiators” refused to continue talks with Israel, and as Joe Biden announced, he would impose an arms embargo on Israel if it attacked Rafah.

BACKGROUND:

Hamas Says They’ve Agreed to a Ceasefire Deal, But They Forgot to Run It Past Israel First

FINALLY: Despite Hamas’ Last-Minute Subterfuge, Israel War Cabinet Greenlights Rafah Operation

Negotiations between Hamas and Israel have entirely broken down. Israeli negotiators have returned home, and Hamas negotiators have returned to their patrons in Doha. Hamas issued a statement Friday: “The negotiating delegation [of Hamas] left Cairo heading to Doha. In practice, the occupation [Israel] rejected the proposal submitted by the mediators and raised objections to it on several central issues. Accordingly, the ball is now completely in the Israeli occupation’s court.”

The breakdown seems to be caused in no small part by the utter ineptitude of Biden’s team.

BACKGROUND: The Backstory Behind That Hamas ‘Ceasefire’ Deal Makes the Biden Team Look Horrible

Along with the breakdown of negotiations and the beginning of what may be the final phase of this Israel-Hamas war comes a clash between Joe Biden — or at least Biden’s puppeteers — and Israel’s government.

Biden has placed a hold on existing arms exports to Israel and, in a CNN interview on Thursday, pledged to cut off military aid to Israel if it invaded Rafah.

BACKGROUND:

Biden Places a Hold on Shipments of Arms and Ammunition to Israel

Biden Says He Will Stop Weapons Exports to Israel If It Attacks Rafah

In what is being taken as a response to Biden’s threat to end arms shipments, Netanyahu said Thursday, “If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. If we need to, we will fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than fingernails.”

The material impact of Biden’s threat is minimal.

Israel’s top military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, also appeared to downplay the practical impact of any arms holdup. “The army has munitions for the missions it plans, and for the missions in Rafah, too — we have what we need,” he said in response to a question at a news conference.

However, the political significance of his threat is immense. This puts Biden in the difficult position of following through on his threat in his “one tough hombre” persona and showing the world just how fragile US security assurances are, or backing down and having the kids of his cabinet officials and friends jeer him from the campus of Columbia University.