A day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed intentions to continue military operations in Gaza, a US State Department spokesperson has voiced opposition to such actions. The US believes that ongoing military operations in Gaza would only lead to prolonged conflict, instability, and insecurity for Israel.
Netanyahu's reference to 'mowing the grass' in Gaza was not explicitly defined, but US officials interpret it as a plan for sustained limited military activities. The US government asserts that continuous military engagement in Gaza would weaken Israel, hinder conflict resolution efforts, contribute to instability in the West Bank, and impede Israel's efforts to normalize relations with neighboring countries.
Furthermore, the US disapproves of Netanyahu's suggestion that Israel may need to maintain 'military control' over Gaza. The spokesperson emphasized the US's desire to see a shift towards a different security landscape and ultimately the unification of Gaza and the West Bank.
The US acknowledges that achieving this goal would require collaboration with regional partners and the Israeli government to navigate a path towards a more stable and unified future for the region.