Joe Biden’s peace plan on Gaza has backfired

US President Joe Biden’s call for an end to the war was dismissed within 24 hours by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. He stated, “Israel’s conditions for ending the war have not changed: the destruction of Hamas military and governing capabilities, the freeing of all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel. Israel will continue to insist these conditions are met before a permanent ceasefire is put in place. The notion that Israel will agree to a permanent ceasefire before these conditions are fulfilled is a non-starter.”

In response to Netanyahu’s negativism, opposition leader Benny Gantz called for the war cabinet, to which he belongs, to meet as soon as possible. He said the proposal Biden put forward was formulated by [Israel’s] negotiation team and unanimously approved by the war cabinet.”

Biden said the three-phase plan he made public had originated with Israel. Phase one mandated a six-week ceasefire; Israeli military withdrawal from urban areas; the release of elderly, women, and wounded Hamas captives in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners; return of Gazan civilians to their homes; and the entry into Gaza of 600 aid lorries a day.

Although the details of phase two were to be negotiated during phase one, it would provide for the release of all remaining live Hamas captives, full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war. During phase three, the remains of dead captives would be returned and there would be a reconstruction plan for Gaza.

While Biden also said that it’s time to make arrangements for “the day after,” there is nothing in the proposal for this essential effort. Netanyahu has flatly refused to commit to who will control, administer, and reconstruct Gaza. He simply rules out Hamas and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority (PA). The US is promoting the PA while many Palestinians insist on a national government involving both the PA and Hamas. This proposal was the same as earlier plans crafted by mediators Qatar and Egypt which met Hamas’ main demands for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent truce.

These plans were rejected by Israel. Hamas welcomed Biden’s speech and said it would negotiate in good faith to secure a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. As Biden said repeatedly it was Israel’s plan, it is odd that he rather than Netanyahu should have put it forward. Instead of taking a positive line, Netanyahu surprised and shamed Biden. He appeared to believe he would bring about an end to the Gaza war by putting forward a phased plan approved by the war cabinet the Israeli premier could not refuse. Biden’s ploy did not work.

Rejection could cost Netanyahu. If he had agreed to and implemented phase one, he could have gained credit for pausing military operations, retrieving vulnerable captives, allowing Gazans to go to their ruined homes, and boosting the volume of humanitarian supplies entering Gaza. He also could have had the option of scuppering phase two which includes Hamas’ key demand for the war to end.  Once there was a ceasefire in place, there was no guarantee that Israel would not resume fighting in order to give Netanyahu the victory he is determined to achieve.

Victory is particularly important for him because he has been blamed by Israelis for failing to identify Hamas’ preparations for the October 7th incursion into southern Israel by Hamas which killed 1,139 and abducted 250. Instead of pre-empting this raid, Netanyahu has launched a forever war which has killed 36,000 Gazans and wounded 81,000, 70 per cent women and children, and turned Gaza into a desolate, unliveable wasteland.

Unfortunately for Netanyahu and Israel, this war has been projected around the world live on satellite television channels and gone viral on social media. Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant await arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court and Israel is under investigation for genocide of Gazans by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Half a dozen countries have joined the original South African case against Israel by offering evidence to the ICJ.  Ireland, Spain, and Norway have recognised the state of Palestine within the boundaries of 1967, boosting the number to 146 out of 193 UN members. More European recognitions are expected. Israel’s carefully cultivated impunity and immunity from accountability have vanished.

Israel’s efforts to brand critics as anti-Semites and Holocaust deniers ring hollow and are dismissed in many instances. Netanyahu has been subjected to blackmail by hard right coalition partners Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich – with 14 Knesset seats – who threaten to bring down his government. Opposition leader Yair Lapid — who has 24 seats — has pledged to back the premier if he agrees to the plan. Public pressures build for acceptance of the plan. So far, Netanyahu remains determined to stick to his hardline.

Writing in the Israeli liberal daily Haaretz, Gideon Levy argued, “Biden means well. Israel has nefarious intentions. Biden wants peace, but Israel wants war. Even Hamas, at this point, wants peace more than Israel does.” Levy continued, “Continuing the war not only bolsters suspicions regarding Netanyahu’s motives, it also bolsters suspicions regarding his partners and extortionists on the right: genocide is what they’re after.” Levy urged Biden to halt the supply of weapons to Israel if Netanyahu rejects the plan. Biden has so far refused to do this.

Biden is also under negative pressures. He is running for re-election neck-and-neck with likely Republican candidate Donald Trump. Polls show Biden has a low 39-40 per cent approval rating — which has been impacted by his uncritical backing for Israel. He has been sharply criticised by Muslim and Arab citizens who normally vote for Biden’s Democrat party and could boycott the ballot box in November.

Biden has been upstaged by leaders of both parties who have invited Netanyahu to address a joint session of the legislature. Angry independent Senator Bernie Sanders vowed to boycott the session saying fellow lawmakers are letting down the country by inviting Netanyahu who he accused on X social media platform of being a “war criminal.”