On Monday, President Joe Biden disclosed confidential details of discussions concerning Israeli hostages to late-night comedian Seth Myers, potentially compromising the bargaining positions of a significant U.S. ally. Despite Biden’s optimism for a successful outcome, all involved parties in the negotiations deemed his prediction premature.
Biden, eating ice cream with the host of NBC’s Late Night with Seth Myers, said that he hoped for a “ceasefire” by next Monday. He did not specify whether he meant a temporary or permanent ceasefire, and both Israel and Hamas said there was no such deal.
Reports emerged on Monday revealing that Hamas had rejected the terms of a proposed framework for a deal, dampening the optimism that had briefly surfaced over the weekend for an agreement.
Additionally, Biden disclosed that Israel had offered to halt the war during the upcoming Islamic holy month of Ramadan, inadvertently putting an ally in a public position that was intended to be an offer, not a firm commitment without mutual agreement.
It’s worth noting that Arab and Muslim armies have historically engaged in conflict during Ramadan, such as the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
Israeli government spokesperson Tal Heinrich said Tuesday that there was no agreement with Hamas, adding that the terrorist group’s demands — including an end to the war and Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip — were “outlandish” and from “another planet.” She quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement to CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday: “Hamas started out with just crazy demands. And, you know, it’s- it’s too soon to say if they’re- if they’ve abandoned them, but if they do abandon them and get into what you call the ballpark, they’re not even in the city. They’re in another planet.”
“No daylight between Washington and Jerusalem [exists] as it pertains to the goals of this war,” Heinrich told reporters on Tuesday. Still, she added that Hamas’s demands were “delusional” and that they “have to come down to earth,” suggesting no deal was imminent.
During the Trump administration, Democrats and the media accused President Donald Trump of disclosing classified information to Russians during diplomatic meetings, an allegation he refuted. However, it’s important to note that a president has the legal authority to declassify information.
Critics have suggested that Biden may have aimed to appeal to Arab and Muslim voters in Michigan before Tuesday’s primary vote. While he is expected to win, there is a risk of a boycott by Democratic Party primary voters who are concerned about the conflict in Gaza.
