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Analysts believe that the administration of US President Joe Biden may continue to press for a change in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu without retreating from its support for the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

The Biden administration's speech regarding Netanyahu and his government's intention regarding the possible Israeli operation in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, has become more severe and intentional, according to what an American official confirmed to the Politico website.

The US President also celebrated Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's statement that Netanyahu had become a major obstacle to peace, and called on the Israelis to hold early elections.

A struggle between Biden and Netanyahu

Commenting on these developments, former American diplomat Charles Dunn said that the American-Israeli dispute over Rafah goes beyond the process to the conflict between Biden and Netanyahu, who is trying to prove that he is not concerned about the threats issued by Washington.

During his participation in the program “Gaza... What Next?”, Dan said that Biden may take steps such as adopting a resolution to stop the war in the Security Council or restricting the supply of some weapons to Israel, if the confrontation with Netanyahu goes further than it is now.

Dan pointed out that the invasion of Rafah is not only related to the expected humanitarian catastrophe there, but also to American fears for peace between Egypt and Israel, noting that Cairo “unambiguously informed Washington that it will not accept pushing the Palestinians towards the Sinai Peninsula.”

Therefore, Dan believes that the Biden administration will continue to push for a change in the Netanyahu government through the Israelis themselves without changing its position on the war as a whole;

Because Netanyahu is determined to invade Rafah, even if that is against American interests, according to him.

Dan expected that the United States would develop a specific plan to enter Rafah and commit Israel to it in order to avoid a catastrophe among civilians, noting that Washington may take this step in the coming days.

The dispute is bigger than the Rafah operation

However, Hassan Ayoub, professor of political science at An-Najah National University, believes that there is no reasonable or possible way to transfer one and a half million people from Rafah to any place in Gaza before launching the operation. However, all reports indicate that Israel is not militarily prepared for this matter, which is what This means that the current dispute is bigger than the issue of entering Rafah, in his opinion.

The disagreement - in Ayoub's opinion - lies in Netanyahu's refusal to accept any American vision, whether for the method of war or what the situation will be like in Gaza after it, especially since Washington realizes that the Islamic resistance movement Hamas is capable of continuing the war and that Israel is performing in the way that Netanyahu is trying to promote.

Although the United States is moving very slowly, what was issued by its senior officials during the past two weeks “seriously indicates its movement against Netanyahu,” says Ayoub, who suggested that the pressure exerted on Biden currently “is related to the supply of weapons and other political steps related to lifting the cover from Netanyahu personally.” And not about Israel."

Despite the increasing possibility that Washington will take practical measures against Israel, Ayoub believes that Biden "will enter into a confrontation with the pro-Israel Democrats who reject the current position on Netanyahu."

Ayoub added that the 24th of this month "will be decisive because it is the date for Israel's report to America on the extent of its commitment to international laws, and then Washington may consider exploiting this commitment to take some measures against Netanyahu."

As for Dan, he concluded that patience with Netanyahu had run out and that "he might throw some punches at him if he invades Rafah, because the Israeli prime minister has not shown any influence on American pressure so far."

Source: Al Jazeera