Biden says Israel has offered a new ‘roadmap’ to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza

Biden says Israel has offered a new ‘roadmap’ to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza

President Biden essentially revealed a proposal this evening that Israel itself had put forward and placed on the table, making him the one who disclosed the details to the Israeli public.

What exactly is President Biden proposing?

The proposal includes ending the war, an Israeli concession on the complete dismantling of Hamas, and halting continuous fighting and repeated raids in Gaza, in exchange for the return of all hostages.

Additionally, there is potential for a broader deal that would also address the situation on the Lebanon border and normalize relations with Saudi Arabia as part of a regional alliance against Iran.

How is Biden trying to allay Israeli concerns about such an agreement and highlight its benefits (beyond the release of all hostages, which is the primary and ultimate goal)?

1. Highlighting the Israeli achievement so far – "Israel has defeated Hamas; it can no longer carry out another October 7th."

2. An American commitment to stand behind Israel and provide security support, as opposed to the alternative of continued military action in Gaza, which Biden says will lead to "isolation."

3. Emphasizing significant economic benefits for Israel with the end of the war and normalization with Saudi Arabia.

The costs Israel would bear as a result of such a deal:

1. Hamas would remain the governing entity in Gaza without a regime change in the strip.

2. Hamas would retain its current military strength, even if significantly weakened compared to its state on October 7th, and the security threat to the Gaza border area would not be entirely eliminated.

3. Israel would give up its freedom of security action in Gaza and the ability to continue raids to further dismantle and weaken Hamas.