Biden administration dramatically softens the sanctions it imposed on the seven Israelis from the Israel Defense Forces and makes it clear that they will be able to use their bank accounts.

Original article in Hebrew

  • protistEnglish
    4216·
    8 months ago

    If I’m reading this correctly, this decision was made because Smotrich threatened to sever all Israeli banking relations with the Palestinian Authority, which since the PA depends on Israeli banks to function, would have ruined the Palestinian government in the West Bank. I don’t like that this is how it’s going down, but definitely see the rationale, and don’t think the Biden Admin is wrong to protect the PA. There’s plenty criticism to heap on the US for their relationship with Israel, but I don’t think this is one of them. The problem here is Smotrich and the Netanyahu government.

    • Alsephina@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
      583·
      8 months ago

      The PA is pretty much entirely controlled by the Israeli military now. It being shut down might actually allow orgs that actually serve Palestinian interests to take power.

      Regardless, this is obviously just an excuse to stop the sanctions. Israel is entirely dependent on the US and these “threats” are toothless. If Biden gave a fuck at all, he would simply threaten to cut off funding to Israel in return.

      • protistEnglish
        2712·
        8 months ago

        The “might” in that sentence is doing some heavy lifting. I think the collapse of the PA would lead to worsening chaos in the West Bank, especially financially, and would directly harm Palestinians.

        • Alsephina@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
          202·
          8 months ago

          Not at all. You can remove that first paragraph entirely and my point comes across just fine.

          • protistEnglish
            126·
            8 months ago

            There wasn’t a second paragraph when I responded lol.

            I still seriously disagree with you, a disruption of the Palestinian Authority would 100% be worse for the Palestinian people in the West Bank. Which “orgs” do you think are suddenly going to step in and be better?

          • BraveSirZaphod@kbin.social
            2·
            8 months ago

            Yes, it is. Hamas absolutely has a presence in the West Bank, and the fact that they would likely win democratic elections is the reason why there haven’t been elections in the West Bank in ages.

            Hamas isn’t able to accumulate meaningful military force there due to the constant presence of the IDF, but they are there. The PA must be reformed, but if you simply abolish it, it’s Hamas that fills the power vacuum.

            • vind@lemmy.world
              01·
              8 months ago

              That is not correct. Palestinian Authority and Hamas are not the same groups. Hamas does not and has not had any power in the West Bank.

              • BraveSirZaphod@kbin.social
                2·
                8 months ago

                When did I say that the PA and Hamas are the same?

                I did not say that Hamas has legal authority in the West Bank. I said that they have a presence, which is simply true. Terrorist attacks are not at all unheard of in the West Bank; do you really think they’re completely disconnected from the neighboring Islamist organization who routinely praises terror attacks and explicitly calls for the destruction of Israel?

                On February 1, Israeli soldiers demolished the East Jerusalem family apartment of a deceased Palestinian teacher who in 2021 shot and killed an Israeli tour guide and wounded four others near the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. The terrorist group Hamas said the gunman was a senior member of its movement in East Jerusalem.

                https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/israel-west-bank-and-gaza/west-bank-and-gaza/

                OPERATING AREAS
                Primarily in Gaza; also maintains a presence in the West Bank; Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon; and key regional capitals, such as Doha, Qatar, and Cairo, Egypt.

                https://www.dni.gov/nctc/ftos/hamas_fto.html

                Separate from these attacks are examples of armed combat between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), operatives from established terrorist organizations (e.g., Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad), and individuals with no organizational affiliation who formed militant battalions in their communities before or during the current war. The latter groups, most of which are found in the northern West Bank, were principally established to prevent Israel from operating against terrorist cells. Although they are not Hamas themselves, they enjoy wide popularity among West Bank youths and rely on the guidance and support of Hamas elements outside the territory for financing, weapons, and technical knowledge.

                Against this backdrop, Hamas has been trying to mobilize West Bankers—especially the younger generation—to open another front against Israel. The group sees youths as ripe for exploitation because they are more likely to identify with local militants and blame the Palestinian Authority for allowing Israel to expand its military activities in the West Bank. Statements by senior Hamas officials, media outlets, and social networks are therefore emphasizing the strategic connection between the Gaza war and the advancement of the entire Palestinian nationalist and religious agenda—not just freeing prisoners, but also ending the occupation in full and playing on the fear that Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque is somehow in danger.

                https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/why-west-bank-front-has-not-opened-so-far

        • protistEnglish
          13·
          8 months ago

          You got downvoted, but you are correct.

    • crusa187@lemmy.ml
      12·
      8 months ago

      This is just a little something to keep in mind the next time some Israeli tries to argue that “it’s not an occupation.”

      • protistEnglish
        53·
        8 months ago

        I think you misunderstand, Netanyahu and his allies want extremists in charge. They have spent the last two decades trying to delegitimize the PA because they are a moderate Palestinian government, and the same two decades propping up Hamas. When extremists are in charge, Netanyahu knows he can more easily justify killing Palestinians and taking Palestinian land

    • rottingleaf@lemmy.zip
      5·
      8 months ago

      The problem here is Smotrich and the Netanyahu government.

      Can they just send a few killer drones after the two guys mentioned? It’s fair game, USA uses those outside of its territory, Israel uses those outside of its territory.

      Of course there’s going a shitfest of indignation from Israelis, but that’ll be in any situation which is not successful ethnic cleansing with no consequences.