Israel open to 'permanent' Gaza ceasefire only if territory is demilitarised: Netanyahu - The Economic Times Video
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Netanyahu testing US patience with Syria strikes; Trump advisers blast him as ‘acting like a madman'
A series of Israeli airstrikes in Syria this week has raised concerns within President Donald Trump 's inner circle, with several US officials reportedly frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's aggressive military approach in the region. Israel launched airstrikes on a Syrian military convoy headed to Suwayda on Tuesday, July 16. The Israeli government claimed the convoy entered a demilitarized zone and was involved in attacks against the Druze community. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category healthcare Data Analytics Data Science Public Policy Management Technology Healthcare others PGDM Project Management Degree Cybersecurity Data Science Design Thinking Operations Management Digital Marketing Product Management MCA CXO Others Finance Leadership MBA Artificial Intelligence Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Lucknow CERT-IIML Healthcare Management India Starts on undefined Get Details The strike claimed the lives of at least three people and injured 34 others. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Man Revealing His Strategy To Earn Upto 3K-5K Daily Income thefutureuniversity Learn More Undo Syria has denied the allegations. The conflict between Druze militias and armed Bedouin groups in the area has reportedly claimed over 700 lives, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The US had brokered a ceasefire to halt the escalation. However, after a brief pause, Israel resumed strikes on Wednesday, July 17, hitting Syria's military headquarters and areas near the presidential palace in Damascus. Live Events Multiple US officials told Axios that the airstrikes caught the Trump administration off guard. One White House official said Netanyahu 'acted like a madman' and warned the strikes could undermine US efforts to stabilise the region. Another official added, 'Every day there is something new. What the f***?' Another US official described him as a leader with a 'trigger finger too itchy,' while another warned that Israel is damaging its standing with the US. Officials accused Netanyahu of escalating tensions for political gain, particularly to appease Israel's Druze community. For context, in Israel, approximately 150,000 Druze live as citizens who are highly integrated and serve loyally in the Israeli military and security forces. The Israeli Druze community supports the Israeli state and has political influence in Israel. Israel has portrayed itself as the protector of the Syrian Druze minority. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, tensions with the new Islamist-led regime have risen in southern Syria, leading to conflict. Some Druze leaders seek dialogue with Damascus, while others resist and appeal for outside support, including from Israel. Trump advisers urge restraint US envoy Tom Barrack reportedly asked Israeli officials to stand down earlier in the week. While Israel initially agreed, the strikes resumed the next day. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also urged Netanyahu to stop the attacks, which he eventually decided to do on the condition that Syrian forces withdraw from Suwayda. Despite the ceasefire, several countries, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, reportedly criticized Israel's actions and conveyed their concerns to the Trump administration. Is Netanyahu frustrated over Gaza? This tension with Syria occurred after Netanyahu visited Washington, D.C., and met Trump twice. Despite the warm optics, internal frustrations may be growing. The Trump administration is also reportedly upset over an Israeli strike that damaged a church in Gaza, and over the recent killing of a Palestinian-American, Saif Musallet, allegedly by Israeli settlers. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, a strong supporter of Israel, called the settler attack 'terrorism' and demanded answers. He also criticized the Israeli government for complicating travel visa processes for American evangelicals. Israeli officials defend actions However, Israeli officials are defending these attacks. An unnamed Israeli official said Netanyahu had been encouraged by Trump in the past to take strong actions in Syria. The official insisted that the latest strikes were solely based on intelligence and not influenced by domestic political pressures. "The US wants to keep the new Syrian government stable and doesn't understand why we attack in Syria, because of attacks on the Druze community there. We tried to explain to them that this is our commitment to the Druze community in Israel," the senior Israeli official said. Will Netanyahu lose US support? US officials are worried that Israel's policy in Syria could destabilize the region further. 'The current Israeli policy would lead to an unstable Syria,' one senior US official said, warning that both Israel and the Druze community could suffer the consequences. This is not the first time Netanyahu's actions have tested Trump's patience. He has previously escalated in Gaza and Iran despite Trump's calls for restraint. US aides are also uneasy about the influence of far-right members within Netanyahu's governing coalition, a concern now shared by parts of the broader conservative movement in the US. While Trump himself has avoided publicly criticizing Netanyahu, his advisers are growing increasingly frustrated with the Israeli leader's approach. According to officials, Netanyahu is taking significant political risks that could eventually cost US support.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Israel prepares assault on last Gaza town as truce talks stall
The previous truce expired in early May, plunging the conflict into a deeper crisis. Israel shuttered traditional aid distribution channels in favor of a US-backed alternative, known as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which it argued would help sideline Hamas. The UN has called it discriminatory and insufficient to stave off famine for many of the enclave's residents. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Israel said Sunday it's moving for the first time into a town in the heart of the Gaza Strip that it had avoided for fear of harming hostages, as it accused Hamas of stalling at US-brokered ceasefire Israeli military told Palestinians in parts of Deir al-Balah to immediately evacuate southward to a tent city for civilians displaced by the 21-month-old previous truce expired in early May, plunging the conflict into a deeper crisis. Israel shuttered traditional aid distribution channels in favor of a US-backed alternative, known as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which it argued would help sideline Hamas. The UN has called it discriminatory and insufficient to stave off famine for many of the enclave's parallel, the army launched a set of operations with the declared aim of taking Palestinian territory - an effort to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages from its October 7, 2023, attack that sparked the while Israel now controls some 75% of Gaza, the Iran-backed Islamist group has stuck to its demand that any ceasefire and hostage release be tied to a full withdrawal of Israeli forces. That's been rejected by al-Balah is one of a few pockets in the Gaza Strip where Israel's forces haven't maneuvered and entire buildings remain standing. That's because Israeli intelligence assessments were that hostages were held there. It's unclear if that remains the case as the new operation Hamas attack in 2023 killed 1,200 people in Israel, with another 250 abducted and taken to Gaza. Some 50 hostages remain, of whom 20 are thought to be alive. Hamas hasn't commented on the locations of hostages, whom it's threatened to execute if enemy troops Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the largest advocacy group pushing for a negotiated hostage release, voiced concern at the Deir al-Balah plan."For the hostages, this is not a negotiating 'bargaining chip,' but a clear and present danger to their fates. Enough! A sweeping majority of the nation of Israel wants the war ended in a comprehensive deal that returns all of the hostages," the forum said in a Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 6 sent negotiators back to Qatar, a Hamas intermediary, ahead of a White House visit during which he and US President Donald Trump voiced hope for a diplomatic breakthrough that would enable the return of 10 living and 18 deceased Gamliel, a minister in Netanyahu's security cabinet, accused Hamas of stonewalling and anticipated that Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, would fly in to join the talks. "The moment he runs things in Doha, we will see what the ramifications are," Gamliel told Israel's Army Radio, referring to Witkoff. "Our negotiating team is still there, in hope of coming back with good news."Hamas, which is on terrorism blacklists in much of the West, has warned that the latest deadlock endangers the hostages. "We have sustained their survival as much as possible, until now," Abu Obeida, Hamas armed wing spokesperson, said on Friday."If the criminal enemy obstructs or withdraws from this round, we cannot guarantee a return to partial deals or to the proposal for the release of 10 captives," he says it wants to free as many hostages as possible but also wants to destroy Hamas as a military and governing institution. That would entail disarming Hamas and exiling its leaders, Israel says. Hamas has rejected those conditions.
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
'Bibi acted like a madman': Trump administration not happy with Netanyahu over Syrian strikes
The White House is increasingly frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's aggressive military actions in Syria, according to a report by Axios citing six senior US officials. Despite a US-brokered ceasefire, Netanyahu's strikes have continued, alarming Washington. Officials accuse him of unpredictable behavior and fear his actions—possibly driven by domestic politics—could undermine regional stability and US diplomatic efforts. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The White House is increasingly concerned about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's military actions in Syria, with several senior US officials expressing frustration over what they describe as his unpredictable and aggressive strategy, Axios six US officials, Axios said the Trump administration -- despite a US-brokered ceasefire that ended last week's escalation -- ended the week more alarmed about Netanyahu's regional policies. While President Donald Trump has refrained from public criticism, it remains unclear whether he shares his advisers' quoted one of the White House officials as saying, 'Bibi acted like a madman. He bombs everything all the time. This could undermine what Trump is trying to do.' Another senior US official referenced Israel's shelling of a church in Gaza, saying it led President Trump to personally call Netanyahu for an explanation. 'The feeling is that every day there is something new.' the official reportedly said.A third official described growing skepticism toward Netanyahu inside the administration, 'Netanyahu is sometimes like a child who just won't behave.'Israel's response to the recent conflict in Syria has been a particular point of friction. On Tuesday, Israeli forces bombed a convoy of Syrian army tanks headed toward Suwayda, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The strikes followed violent clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes, which reportedly killed over 700 people by claimed the Syrian convoy crossed into a demilitarised zone in southern Syria and that the Syrian military was involved in attacks on the Druze minority. Syria denied the assurances given to US envoy Tom Barrack to pause military operations for diplomatic efforts, Israel escalated strikes the next day, targeting Syria's military headquarters and areas near the presidential palace.'The bombing in Syria caught the president and the White House by surprise,' Axios quoted a US official as saying. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly urged Netanyahu to stop the strikes, with Netanyahu agreeing on the condition of a Syrian military withdrawal from to Axios, Turkey and Saudi Arabia also conveyed their displeasure over Israel's actions to the US administration. Officials, including Barrack and White House envoy Steve Witkoff, reportedly raised concerns directly with US officials believe Netanyahu's actions are driven by domestic political considerations, particularly pressure from Israel's Druze community. 'Bibi's political agenda is driving his senses. It will turn out to be a big mistake for him long-term,' one US official officials, however, denied that domestic politics influenced military decisions. A senior Israeli official told Axios that Israel acted to protect the Druze community in Syria. 'The US wants to keep the new Syrian government stable and doesn't understand why we attack in Syria. We tried to explain that this is our commitment to the Druze community in Israel,' the official criticism also mounted over recent Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank. The killing of Palestinian American Saif Musallet by Israeli settlers last weekend prompted backlash from the Trump administration. Axios reported that US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, typically a staunch Israel supporter, called the attack 'terrorism' and demanded answers. Huckabee also criticized Israeli visa policies affecting American Israeli Prime Minister's spokesperson Ziv Agmon did not respond to Axios' request for per US officials cited by Axios, there is a broader concern that Netanyahu's approach in Syria and Gaza could destabilize regional efforts toward peace and harm Israel's standing in Washington.(With TOI inputs)
