Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night canceled Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s departure for the US, as Israel continued to plan its retaliation in Iran. US officials say they do not yet have the timing of the attack nor the targets Israel may be targeting.
As the Wall Street Journal put it Wednesday morning, the US is frustrated by Israel’s reluctance to share its Iran retaliation plans.
Here’s a possible explanation: last week, an anonymous senior Israeli official told Kan11 News the US government is leaking vital information shared by Israel, and those leaks were endangering Israeli troops ahead of the ground invasion of south Lebanon.
A week ago on Monday, President Joe Biden was asked by reporters if he is comfortable with an imminent Israeli ground invasion, and said, “I’m comfortable with them stopping. We should have a ceasefire now.”
Last month, when Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, it did it without first informing the US. As you may recall, Netanyahu used Biden’s ceasefire plan to draw Nasrallah out of the safety of his bunker, to watch the UN speech where the Israeli PM would announce his acceptance of a ceasefire. Instead, the IAF rained hellfire on the underground Hezbollah command post where Nasrallah was watching TV.
Is it any wonder Biden is quoted in Bob Woodward’s new book, “War,” as an “SOB” and “a really bad guy?” America isn’t used to being used by others, America is used to doing the using.
And using the others was what the planned Gallant trip to DC was all about. For more than two decades, the US has been investing in grooming, through Harvard and West Point, several generations of top IDF brass who get the first class treatment during their service and after their retirement, with academic posts and positions on boards of directors. All America wants in return is that when a US president says the IDF must not invade Gaza, he would be obeyed; likewise in Rafah and south Lebanon.
But one pesky prime minister has been standing in the way, conducting shouting matches into the night for a year now, with the US-trained IDF brass who gave us October 7, 2023.
PENTAGON UNHAPPY
According to the WSJ, US officials have expressed their frustration over being consistently surprised by Israel’s military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, while they are actively working to prevent any further escalation.
There were expectations that the US would gain insights into Israel’s intentions during the scheduled meeting on Wednesday between Gallant and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon; however, the Pentagon announced that Gallant had postponed his visit.
Drats.
Here’s a rich passage from the WSJ report. It appears that Gallant was allowed to contact the Americans only after the assassination of Nasrallah because of the American leakage.
“Excuse me, what did you say?” Sec. Austin said when Gallant informed him about the Nasrallah assassination, as reported by US officials acquainted with the discussion. Later that same day, during a subsequent call, Austin questioned Gallant regarding Israel’s readiness to stand “alone” in its defense, considering the insufficient warning.
Imagine how frustrating it must be for the Biden administration not to receive any information it could leak about the coming Israeli attack. According to Axios, the Biden administration has grown increasingly distrustful of what the Israeli government says about its plans.
Two administration officials told Axios that during a conversation on Friday, Jake Sullivan, the White House’s national security adviser, conveyed to Ron Dermer, Israel’s minister for strategic affairs, that the US anticipated “clarity and transparency” from Israel regarding its intentions to respond to Iran, as such actions would affect US forces and interests in the region.
Maybe call them from the planes as they reach Tehran? Time enough to prepare.
Turns out Netanyahu did not inform Biden before the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Even more humiliating, the assassination took place several days after Netanyahu had communicated to Biden in the Oval Office his intentions to pursue measures aimed at negotiating a deal with Hamas for the release of hostages and the establishment of a ceasefire in Gaza.
Poor Joe. Didn’t he know that Bibi makes lots of promises, but doesn’t promise to keep them?
The WSJ report suggests Gallant is generally regarded as the Israeli leader who is most attuned to US apprehensions regarding Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza. This includes a particular focus on enhancing humanitarian assistance to the region and formulating a strategy for the governance of the strip following the conflict. Over the past year, Austin and Gallant have maintained frequent communication, often engaging in discussions multiple times each week by phone, and they are typically viewed as having a strong rapport.
This, of course, is why PM Netanyahu ordered his DM to stay away from DC until he, Netanyahu, has a phone conversation with President Biden. He would not allow Gallant to strike private deals that undermine the PM’s control over the conduct of the war, especially when it comes to the anticipated attack on Iran.
And Biden would do well to remember FDR’s comment about the president of Nicaragua, Anastasio Somoza García: “He may be an SOB, but he’s our SOB.”
