Israeli, U.S. officials meet virtually on Rafah after Netanyahu scraps delegation to Washington
WASHINGTON, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Israeli and U.S. officials met virtually Monday to discuss a possible alternative for a potential ground operation in Rafah by the Israeli military, the White House confirmed.
The virtual meeting was arranged as a substitute for an in-person discussion in Washington featuring the visit by a high-level Israeli delegation, which was scrapped by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week in protest of the United States greenlighting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
"I can confirm that there is a virtual meeting happening today with both U.S. officials, Israeli officials to discuss the situation in Rafah and, obviously, the next steps that we have been hearing that the Israeli government wants to take," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a regular press briefing.
She said it was on Friday that both sides settled with the schedule for the virtual meeting, noting that the United States "wanted to move very quickly on" scheduling such a discussion with Israel.
Reiterating Washington's concern about the devastation an Israeli military operation in Rafah will bring to the over 1 million Palestinian civilians now residing there, Jean-Pierre said that even in the event that Israel sticks with their plan of a ground operation, Israeli officials "have to have this conversation" with their U.S. counterparts and explain "how they're going to move forward."
For its part, Israel is still bent on advancing into Rafah. Netanyahu told a press conference at his office Sunday evening that he had approved an operational plan by the Israeli Defense Force for Rafah.
"We will enter Rafah and we will eliminate the Hamas battalions there," Netanyahu said.
At the White House briefing, Jean-Pierre dodged a follow-up question on whether an in-person meeting between officials of the two countries is possible in the remaining days of the week. "We will have more to share on the next steps," she said.
Related articles
College baseball notebook: Conference tournaments to decide NCAA automatic bids and many at
The field for the NCAA baseball tournament will take shape this week with conference tournaments det2024-05-21Micron Tech cements bond with China
U.S. memory chipmaker Micron Technology will strengthen cooperation with local supplier ecosystem in2024-05-21China endeavors to build characteristic towns
Photo shows the Tang West Market Culture and Tourism Town. Photo courtesy of Shaanxi Daily Character2024-05-21People in traditional costumes celebrate traditional Flower Festival in Fujian
People in traditional costumes celebrate Hua Zhao Jie, or the traditional Flower Festival, at the We2024-05-21Amtrak train hits pickup truck in upstate New York, 3 dead including child
NEW YORK (AP) — A child was among the three victims killed when a passenger train hit a pickup truck2024-05-21Red lanterns set for Chinese Lunar New Year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Red lanterns set for Chinese Lunar New Year are pictured at Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malays2024-05-21
atest comment