Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday hit back at CBS host Margaret Brennan's topical “hand grenade” by claiming that Israelis support his plan to overthrow Hamas.
Prime Minister Netanyahu appeared on “Face the Nation” to discuss the ongoing war between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas, which began on October 7, 2023. Prime Minister Brennan questioned world leaders about the progress claimed to have been made in military operations, asking if they were really doing so. He said the US is “reconsidering” his plans as the US suggests its current strategy is not as effective as hoped.
“You said victory was within reach, but U.S. intelligence says the IDF has only destroyed 30% of Hamas's leadership, and that the amount of tunnels Hamas is using is There is a growing distrust of you personally within the US Congress and President Biden. If you're saying that we need to rethink our strategy, wouldn't that be worth considering?'' Brennan asked.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back, saying the United States agreed with the goal of “destroying Hamas” and pointing to allegations made to Israel before starting the war with Hamas. (Related: 'Down with Hamas': Gaza residents reportedly rally against Hamas rule)
“A lot of the things we were initially hearing from our close friends turned out to be untrue. They said we couldn't participate in the ground war without huge complications. We said we couldn't go into the city, we couldn't go into the tunnels, there would be bloodshed. All of that turned out to be untrue. Our soldiers are inside the tunnel network. What? We don't have to dismantle a hundred kilometers of tunnels. We can dismantle underground missile factories, command and control headquarters, computers there, funds there, weapons there, ammunition there. We are doing it methodically. We are at war,” Prime Minister Netanyahu said.
“We cannot replace the Israeli military command, but we are doing it very responsibly.” John Spencer, head of urban warfare at West Point, said Hamas is protecting civilians from danger. “No other military has had as much trouble keeping civilians out of harm's way as the Israeli military,” he added.
Mr. Brennan interjected, insisting that officials had doubts about the country's “endgame” before attempting to reverse course. Netanyahu pounced on Brennan's point, underscoring the confidence Israelis have in his goals.
“True, but the former Secretary [U.S.] Central Command was on this program just a few weeks ago and basically said that they didn't articulate a specific end goal here, so that aside, I'd like to go back to a few different things. I'd like to,” Brennan said.
“Wait a minute, Margaret. You throw these grenades at me, and you keep moving. First of all, you said you don't have confidence in me. The Israeli people have confidence in me. Last week,'' Prime Minister Netanyahu said.
“Yesterday, there were massive protests across Israel,” Brennan said.
“Of course there are protests. We are protesting, Israel is a democracy. Protests have been going on for 30 years, but Israelis are more united than ever. Last week they Congress voted 99-9 in favor of my proposal, which says we must do two things: win the war, achieve complete victory, and endanger Israel with a Palestinian state. The people are overwhelmingly united on this. When was the last time we got 99 votes in Congress? I'll say it 30 years ago. The people are united. And the policy is right, the people support it, and that's what we have, so I'm going to get it done. We can't settle for a total victory, because… Because you can't win peace unless you win the war. And we will win this war,” Prime Minister Netanyahu said.
The White House issued a press statement on February 11 confirming a phone conversation between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Joe Biden. During the phone conversation, Biden told the Israeli prime minister that military operations in Gaza City “should not proceed” unless there is a “credible” plan. Some Democrats are rallying for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict, but Biden and his administration reportedly hope to help normalize relations between Israel and Arab states in the Middle East. and is reportedly considering recognizing an independent Palestinian state. according to To Axios.
