Statement After Israel-US Talks
According to the Jerusalem Post newspaper, Israeli Government Spokesman David Mercer made an important press statement following the critical meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Spokesperson Mercer stressed that Netanyahu stands firmly behind the principle of “the physical presence of the Israeli army in the Philadelphia Corridor.” This situation has strategic importance and is at the core of Israel’s security policies. Mercer also stated that negotiations on a ceasefire and a mutual prisoner exchange in Gaza are still ongoing and said: “We are working to create a framework agreement based on the principles presented by the United States in May to return our citizens to their homes.”
Netanyahu had argued that the ceasefire draft announced by US President Joe Biden on May 27 was different from the offer presented by Israel and demanded that new conditions be added. In this context, the Israeli Prime Minister wanted the continuation of the Israeli occupation of the Netzarim Corridor, which divides Gaza in two, and the Gaza Strip, as well as the Philadelphi Corridor on the Egyptian border.
These developments once again reveal how complex the political dynamics and security balances in the region are. Both Israel and the United States continue to take critical steps in the search for a peaceful solution.
