“White House Pushes Israel to Rethink its Strategy During Bombing Pause

The bombing pause in Israel between the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and Hamas militants, agreed to by US President Joe Biden on May 20, is beginning to show sign of strain with the US pressing Israel to shift its longtime military strategy. The efforts for a reprieve in the 13-day conflict arose following negotiations between the US and the United Nations (UN). Following the calls from global leaders to bring an end to the fighting, President Biden and his diplomatic and national security team met with the Israeli government in an effort to achieve a ceasefire between Hamas militants and the IDF. While initial reports of a ceasefire appeared to be successful, the conflict has only worsened reflecting the underlying fact that a long-term resolution is dependent on a sustainable approach in accordance with international law. That is why, it is now being reported that the White House is pushing Israel to reconsider its military strategy, which in the past has yielded nothing but hard-fought victories. One international negotiator said that the White House is particularly frustrated with the IDF’s tactics as “they appear to be more interested in keeping a military foothold in the region than they are in finding a lasting solution”. The US has reportedly echoed this sentiment, that if Israel continues to use such a strategy its victory will only be temporary. Skepticism over the effectiveness of the current strategy has been highlighted on many occasions. Israel’s most recent ground invasion of the Gaza Strip resulted in 147 deaths, and while the figure is tragic, it pales in comparison to the hundreds of civilian casualties that have resulted from air strikes and rescue efforts. Furthermore, it has been suggested that Israel’s favoring of military solutions rather than political ones has led to a “vicious cycle” where any resolution is followed by yet another outbreak of violence. This calls into question whether the current approach is beneficial or feasible in the long-term and some have called for Israel to make greater efforts towards a political resolution rather than relying on a purely military solution. Despite this, the Israeli government has not shied away from its commitment to the peace process and has made clear their intention to have a “sustainable and lasting ceasefire”. And whilst the White House is continuing to pressure Israel to shift its strategies, both Israel and the US have stated their commitment to finding a political solution rather than simply relying on already utilized military tactics.