US criticises Israeli PM's 'maximalist' ceasefire stance
Aug 21, 2024
Washington [US], August 21: A senior US administration official has pushed back at reported comments by Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing the Israeli prime minister of making "maximalist statements" that are "not constructive to getting a ceasefire deal across the finish line".
It comes in the midst of an intense round of regional diplomacy by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as Washington tries to drive forward progress on a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
On Monday, Mr Blinken had talks lasting three hours with the Israeli leader in Jerusalem.
He later said Mr Netanyahu had accepted Washington's so-called "bridging proposal" aimed at trying to solve sticking points and bring Israel and Hamas closer to a deal.
According to an Israeli media report, Mr. Netanyahu later told a meeting of hostage families that he "convinced" Mr Blinken that the deal must see Israeli troops remaining in areas of Gaza he described as "strategic military and political assets", including along the southern border with Egypt.
The reported comments appear to have irritated the US administration.
The senior official's remarks followed Tuesday's round of talks between Mr Blinken and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the coastal city of El-Alamein.
Egyptian officials are said to be strongly opposed to the idea of Israeli troops remaining along Egypt's border in Gaza.
Following his stop in Egypt, Mr Blinken traveled on to Qatar for further talks in Doha - the last stop on his Middle East tour.
The BBC has been traveling with the secretary of state and asked him about the conversation shortly before he left Doha.
He revealed for the first time that the American bridging proposal included a "detailed plan" about Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas said the latest ceasefire proposals constituted "a coup" against what had been agreed upon in earlier negotiations, and reiterated its wish that a ceasefire plan for Gaza be based on where talks were in July rather than any new rounds of negotiations.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
