As Jerusalem looks to change war tactics, Washington defers
Stavroula Pabst
Aug 01, 2025
RESPONSIBLE STATECRAFT
As reports bubble that Jerusalem is mulling annexing the Gaza Strip, the State Department is once again deferring to Israel.
RS asked the State Department Tuesday to confirm Haaretz reporting from Monday, where Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that the administration approved possible plans to annex the Gaza Strip. The State Department Press Office responded simply, via email: “We’d refer you to Israeli officials.”
Al Monitor reported Tuesday that Israeli officials visited Washington to consult with the Trump administration to discuss the idea, along with over several possible proposals for Gaza’s future.
But U.S. support of such plans, including the annexation scheme, remain unclear.
Haaretz reported that Netanyahu told Israeli ministers that the Trump administration supports an annexation plan, where the Israeli Prime Minister said Ron Dermer, Israel's Minister for Strategic Affairs, shared the plan with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Asked Thursday whether the U.S. would support Israel annexing Gaza, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott simply said, “I’m not going to speculate or preview where these discussions may go.”
The annexation murmurs come amid growing international outrage over Israel’s ongoing blockade resulting in starvation of the Gaza Strip — and comments from people like Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), that signal there may soon be a major shift in Israeli strategy.
On Sunday, Graham suggested Israel would ramp up its military offensive against Gaza in a manner comparable to U.S. military actions during the Second World War, after which the territory could be given over to other Arabs to control. “They’re going to do in Gaza what we did in Tokyo and Berlin. Take the place by force and start over again, presenting a better future for the Palestinians, hopefully having the Arabs take over the West Bank and Gaza,” Graham said.
Ominously, Netanyahu himself wrote on X last week that, "together with our U.S. allies, we are now considering alternative options to bring our hostages home, end Hamas's terror rule, and secure lasting peace for Israel and our region.” In that statement, he stressed that “Hamas is the obstacle to a hostage release deal.”
Netanyahu did not clarify what those “alternative options” were.
Stavroula Pabst
Stavroula Pabst is a reporter for Responsible Statecraft.
The views expressed by authors on Responsible Statecraft do not necessarily reflect those of the Quincy Institute or its associates.
Israel’s moves to expel Gazans, annex West Bank unacceptable: Turkish foreign minister
August 1, 2025
Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan attends Trilateral Meeting between Malaysia, Turkiye and ASEAN Secretariat in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 11, 2025. [Murat Gök – Anadolu Agency]
Israel’s actions to expel Gazans from their lands and annex the West Bank are unacceptable, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Hamas Shura Council head Mohammed Ismail Darwish on Friday, Anadolu reports.
Fidan met with a Hamas delegation led by Darwish in Istanbul, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry sources.
The Hamas delegation stressed that the amount of humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza falls far short of the needs and criticized Israel’s uncompromising stance in ceasefire negotiations.
Fidan stated that Israel continues a policy of genocide by starving the people of Gaza, adding that this approach reflects that the government of Benjamin Netanyahu is not serious about reaching a ceasefire.
He emphasized that Israel aims to break the people of Gaza’s resistance by prolonging ceasefire talks and forcing displacement.
‘No ifs’: Scotland’s first minister demands immediate UK recognition of Palestine state
Underlining Türkiye’s support for the continuation of negotiations, Fidan noted the growing international public support for Palestinians.
He stated that as a result of public pressure, more and more countries are recognizing the Palestinian state and Israel is becoming increasingly isolated.
Fidan also reaffirmed that Türkiye’s support for the Palestinian cause will continue in the strongest manner.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.
August 1, 2025
MEMO
Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan attends Trilateral Meeting between Malaysia, Turkiye and ASEAN Secretariat in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 11, 2025. [Murat Gök – Anadolu Agency]
Israel’s actions to expel Gazans from their lands and annex the West Bank are unacceptable, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Hamas Shura Council head Mohammed Ismail Darwish on Friday, Anadolu reports.
Fidan met with a Hamas delegation led by Darwish in Istanbul, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry sources.
The Hamas delegation stressed that the amount of humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza falls far short of the needs and criticized Israel’s uncompromising stance in ceasefire negotiations.
Fidan stated that Israel continues a policy of genocide by starving the people of Gaza, adding that this approach reflects that the government of Benjamin Netanyahu is not serious about reaching a ceasefire.
He emphasized that Israel aims to break the people of Gaza’s resistance by prolonging ceasefire talks and forcing displacement.
‘No ifs’: Scotland’s first minister demands immediate UK recognition of Palestine state
Underlining Türkiye’s support for the continuation of negotiations, Fidan noted the growing international public support for Palestinians.
He stated that as a result of public pressure, more and more countries are recognizing the Palestinian state and Israel is becoming increasingly isolated.
Fidan also reaffirmed that Türkiye’s support for the Palestinian cause will continue in the strongest manner.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.
No comments:
Post a Comment