Captives’ families say government has failed them
Last night, we saw a pretty big turnout in Tel Aviv at those protests by family members of Israeli captives demonstrating against their government, saying that they feel neglected and that now more than ever, Netanyahu does not want a deal.
Whilst there are negotiations that are meant to be happening behind the scenes, those appear now to be at a stalemate after Israel’s attacks on Doha, and so they now fear the worst.
For many, Netanyahu is the main obstacle. They also feel he has lied to them, misled them and ultimately their government has failed them.
Meeting with Rubio, Netanyahu says US-Israeli ties ‘strong and durable’
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, where they said prayers together at the Western Wall, reports The Times of Israel.
Netanyahu said Rubio’s visit shows the resilience of the US-Israeli relationship, describing it “as strong and durable as the stones of the Western Wall we just touched”, according to the Israeli outlet.
“Under [US] President [Donald] Trump, and Secretary Rubio, this alliance has never been stronger, and we deeply appreciate it,” Netanyahu said.
Rubio, who earlier said the US was “not happy” about Israel’s recent attack in Doha but that it was “not going to change the nature” of US-Israeli ties, did not speak to the media in Jerusalem, according to the newspaper.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City, September 14
Rubio’s Jerusalem trip ‘cannot be mistaken for diplomacy’
Images of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio performing prayers alongside Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu at Jerusalem’s Western Wall as Israeli attacks continue to hammer Gaza is not going to “bode well for diplomacy”, says political analyst Marwan Bishara.
“Gaza is being pummelled, its residential towers destroyed by Israeli-American bombs. The symbolism there cannot be mistaken for diplomacy,” Bishara told Al Jazeera.
“It’s not going to be looked at kindly,” he added. “It’s not going to be seen as diplomacy. It’s going to be seen as some kind of a religious war of sorts launched by the US and Israel. So that certainly does not bode well for diplomacy.”
