Following reports that Israel will soon send a delegation to the United States to discuss the military operation in Rafah, Itamar Ben Gvir intends to ask Prime Minister Netanyahu for answers at the upcoming cabinet meeting.
According to a source close to the Minister of National Security: "Minister Ben Gvir will ask the Prime Minister to tell the cabinet whether Israel received anything in return for the decision to eventually send the delegation to the United States or whether this is another submission to them."
Which version is true?
Last night (Wednesday) the White House published an official statement contradicting Prime Minister Netanyahu's denial, in which they announced that the latter had indeed confirmed that a delegation would arrive in Washington, D.C. to discuss a military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where IDF brass believe a number of senior Hamas officials are hiding out and hostages are being held.
The White House issued an official statement on behalf of the Biden administration that despite Netanyahu's denials, confirmation was indeed received that an Israeli delegation would be visiting the US, and that the Prime Minister himself had approved the trip.
Earlier this week, following the passage of a UN Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza without a condemnation of Hamas or conditioning the cease-fire on a hostages release that the Biden administration refused to veto, Netanyahu announced that he had canceled the coordination mission. Biden and Netanyahu had earlier agreed on the summit during a phone call between the two leaders.
Today, however, it was announced on American media that Prime Minister Netanyahu had retracted his threats and agreed to send a coordination team to the White House. The Prime Minister's Office rejected the reports, stating that the Prime Minister position vis-à-vis the planned visit remained the same.