JERUSALEM, Israel – The divide between the U.S. government and Israel is growing over the war in Gaza, as the rift between the Biden administration and the Netanyahu coalition is coming to a crossroads.
The tensions center around Israel's intention to advance into Rafah, the last Hamas stronghold in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the annual AIPAC Conference that Israel would destroy Hamas and free the Israeli hostages.
"We will finish the job in Rafah while enabling the civilian population to get out of harm's way," he declared. "You cannot say you support Israel's right to exist and to defend itself, and then oppose Israel when it exercises that right.
Netanyahu said Israel would not bow to any pressure to stop.
"Israel's very future, its very survival is at stake. We have no other option but total victory," he stated.
Jerusalem's Deputy Mayor, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, told CBN News the battle over Rafah is crucial.
"We know there's four battalions left of terrorists in Rafah," she said. "We know that all our hostages are in Rafah. We also know that Sinwar, who is the mastermind of this entire war – and of course, what started the war, which was a horrible, brutal massacre such as the country has never known –is also in Rafah. So, how on earth are we supposed to finish this war and win this war if we don't go to Rafah?”
Biden Admin Works to Oust Netanyahu Mid-War
Behind the scenes, many see signs the Biden administration is trying to overthrow the Netanyahu government.
Over the weekend, New York Magazine quoted an Israeli expert who said, "I have been asked by a serious administration figure what it is that will force the Netanyahu coalition to collapse. They were interested in the mechanics, what can we demand which will collapse his coalition.”
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Tuesday, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal both reported all U.S. intelligence agencies believe the Netanyahu government has lost the support of the Israeli people and is likely to be overthrown soon.
Israeli journalist and JNS commentator Caroline Glick noted concerning the intelligence assessment, “You don't have to be some sort of a political genius to understand that. What they're saying is 'We want to overthrow our closest allied government in the Middle East and do it in the middle of an existential war for its own survival,' which is an amazing thing. 'And we want to do it because we want this war to end, even though we know that ending the war now means that Hamas, a terrorist organization that's a member of the Iranian axis, wins.'"
In the U.S., eight Democrat senators are calling on Biden to cut off military aid to Israel, claiming the Israelis are blocking U.S. humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware), who was not one of the Democrats calling for blocking aid to Israel, told CBN News the U.S. has to balance Israel's security with protecting innocent Gazans.
"I support Israel's right of self-defense, its obligation to defend itself against Hamas, and to go into Rafah, and to clean out the remaining Hamas military elements. But they cannot do that without first allowing innocent civilians a chance to pass through checkpoints and to relocate to the center or north of Gaza," Coons said.
A recent poll from The Times of Israel shows that 75 percent of Israelis back an Israeli operation into Rafah, one of the main goals of the Netanyahu government.
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