Israel to Blinken, Sullivan: Defeating Hamas Is the PriorityJoel B. Pollak 15 May 2024
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said Wednesday that it was difficult to discuss plans for “the day after” the war in Gaza until Hamas had been completely defeated and the Israeli hostages had been rescued or released.
Mencer was responding to recent comments by U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan about the need for Israel to develop a plan for governance in Gaza after the war. Sullivan is due to visit Saudi Arabia and Israel later this week.
Mercer said that Israel had been “as specific as we can be about what will happen the day after Hamas. It needs to be the day after Hamas. Hamas needs to be defeated. They are not defeated yet.”
He added: “We believe that some of our hostages are in Rafah,” and noted ongoing efforts to free them. Mercer also noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had laid out some ideas for post-Hamas Gaza in various interviews.
Mencer aso responded to a statement earlier in the day by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the Israeli operation in Rafah had thus far had a “negative impact.”
While reiterating the importance of the U.S. alliance with Israel, Mencer said: “Yes, indeed, it has had a negative impact for the Hamas fighters and terrorists who are in Rafah.”
“We are eliminating their structures, we are eliminating their fighting force, we are eliminating their ability to threaten us in any way with their terror tactics.”
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https://www.breitbart.com/middle-east/2024/05/15/israel-to-blinken-sullivan-defeating-hamas-is-the-priority/
