Retired U.S. General Jack Keane told Fox News' Neil Cavuto on Saturday that the Joe Biden administration should stay out of Israel's ongoing ground war against Hamas.
On Saturday, Keane discussed the ongoing Israel-Hamas war amid Biden's strained relationship with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"The Israelis don't want to change their ground campaigns. I wish the administration would stay out of the tactics of how to conduct these operations. It is the prime minister and IDF's [Israel Defense Forces] objective to try and destroy Hamas," Keane said.
The Context
The Biden administration and Netanyahu's division over Israel's handling of its war with Hamas, as well as the Israeli leader's refusal to consider U.S. proposals for a post-war Gaza, have become more pronounced since Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Israel last week, according to NBC News.
What We Know
On October 7, 2023, Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian attack on Israel in history. Israel subsequently launched its heaviest airstrikes against Gaza. At least 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, the Associated Press reported, citing the Israeli government. More than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, AP said. Approximately 250 people were also taken hostage by Hamas in its attack.
"First of all I don't think they have the experience, secondly, I think this is really the prime minister and the IDF's objective to try and destroy Hamas. That certainly is an aspiration that is going to be tight to achieve, but they know full well that the Israelis want a complete military victory. What does Hamas want, they just want to survive," Keane added on Saturday.
More concerns over the war have mounted since the United Nations' top court issued a series of orders on Friday to Israel to protect Palestinians in Gaza to prevent genocide there. Israel has denied allegations of genocide and has claimed it's acting in self-defense.
Newsweek reached out to the White House and the IDF via email for comment.
Views
Netanyahu has also reportedly informed the White House that he opposes a post-war Palestinian state. During a nationally televised news conference, Netanyahu told the U.S. that he not only rejected Palestinian statehood, but also vowed to continue the military offensive until Israel "realizes a decisive victory over Hamas."
Jon Hoffman, foreign policy analyst at the Cato Institute, previously told Newsweek via email that Netanyahu's remarks are problematic for multiple reasons.
He said the prime minister's goal of "decisive victory over Hamas" is not just ill-defined, but virtually impossible.
"Through its indiscriminate killing of civilians and eliminating any prospect at political negotiation, Israel is more likely to plant the seeds of future armed resistance than degrade the military capabilities or political position of Hamas," Hoffman added.
What's Next?
On Friday, Biden spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Qatar's ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani ahead of a trip by his CIA director William Burns to Europe, aimed at a deal to secure the release of more hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a pause to fighting with Israel in Gaza.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby noted the conversation, adding that while there's an effort to facilitate another hostage deal, "We should not expect any imminent developments."
"We continue to do everything we can to facilitate another hostage deal, just as we did in November," he added.
Around 100 hostages were freed by Hamas in a temporary ceasefire in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
According to the Associated Press, Burns is expected to meet with David Barnea, the head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel.
The meeting will focus on the release of hostages in exchange for a pause in hostilities, an agreement the Biden administration hopes could lead to an extended ceasefire that could bring an end to the ongoing conflict, according to the AP.
Update 1/27/24, 2:12 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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Natalie Venegas is a Weekend Reporter at Newsweek based in New York. Her focus is reporting on education, social justice ... Read more
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