With the Middle East on the brink of a possible major war between Iran and Israel, also involving Lebanese Hezbollah, the White House and its regional partners are desperately trying to salvage ceasefire talks.
The United States, Qatar, and Egypt are calling on Israel and Hamas to step back to the negotiating table. They say it is urgent "to resume urgent discussion" on August 15 in Doha or Cairo "to close all remaining gaps and commence implementation of the deal without further delay." Gaps?
While the statement speaks of "remaining gaps" - a fresh Axios report cites a diplomatic source strongly suggests the situation is a far cry from mere closing gaps...
A source familiar with the negotiations said the planned summit is a "Hail Mary" attempt by the Biden administration to get a deal and prevent a regional war.
The White House also needs to present to the American public that it has helped secure a ceasefire, which would be a boost to Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and her supposed foreign policy credentials going into the November election.
The statement from the US, Qatar, and Egypt continued: "It is the time to conclude a ceasefire agreement and release hostages and prisoners," they said.
"We have worked for months to reach framework agreement and it is now on the table, with only details of implementation missing."
But this is the same language that negotiators have presented to the public for several months at this point. They are always and ever "near the goal line," we are told. Yet Israeli and Hamas officials themselves constantly suggest the opposite. There also doesn't seem to be much US pressure on Israel, or serious efforts to reign in its adventurism in places like Iran.
Additionally, Washington policy itself is schizophrenic: President Biden has criticized Israel at times, lamenting the mass civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip, while at the same time he continues to arm Israel's military to the teeth.
Consider too the rosy picture of negotiations painted by Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month at the Aspen Security Forum: "I believe we’re inside the 10-yard line and driving toward the goal line in getting an agreement that would produce a cease-fire, get the hostages home and put us on a better track to trying to build lasting peace and stability,” Blinken said July 19.
Perhaps it's past time for Blinken and US officials to retire the football metaphors when it comes to Hamas negotiations?
