The decision to reverse course followed constructive discussions held over the past two days between Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and senior US officials in Washington, according to the official.
Jerusalem:
Israel wants to reschedule talks in Washington to discuss a possible offensive in the Gaza city of Rafah, days after it canceled the trip in protest at a UN ceasefire resolution, a US official said Wednesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly cancelled the visit on Monday in a display of anger after Israel’s closest ally, the United States, abstained from voting on a UN Security Council resolution, thereby allowing it to pass. This move has intensified discussions about a potential rift between Israel and President Joe Biden.
Following the White House’s expression of being “perplexed” by the decision, Israel reversed its stance.
“The prime minister’s office has said they’d like to reschedule the meeting dedicated to Rafah. We are now working with them to set a convenient date,” the senior administration official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The U-turn came after Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had “constructive discussions” over the last two days with senior US officials in Washington, the official added.
“Rafah was one of the many topics discussed” in the talks with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, CIA chief Bill Burns and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Last week, Netanyahu agreed to a personal request by Biden to send a team to Washington to hear US concerns and discuss ways to target Hamas without a major ground operation in Rafah, which is crowded with refugees.
But after the UN Security Council vote demanding an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war, Israel said that it was canceling and that the US abstention “hurts” its war effort and its bid to free hostages.
