WORLD AT WAR: 7.27.24 - Netanyahu Knows Israel Is Marginalized Under Biden

 Netanyahu Knows Israel Is Marginalized Under Biden, But Has No Choice Other Than to Say ‘Thank You’ – By Breanna Claussen - https://harbingersdaily.com/netanyahu-knows-israel-is-marginalized-under-biden-but-has-no-choice-other-than-to-say-thank-you/ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to the United States started on rocky footing on Monday with a notable absence of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Sec.of State Antony Blinken to welcome him upon his arrival. Netanyahu’s important speech on Wednesday before Congress was also overshadowed a mere day before his arrival in Washington, DC, by Biden’s announcement that he is dropping out of the Presidentialrace this November. Netanyahu and Biden are scheduled to meet on Thursday, during which Netanyahu plans to thank the President for his support for Israel, a move Jan Markell, Founder and President of Olive TreeMinistries, believes will be done out of simple obligation. “Obviously, he knows he’s been so marginalized under Joe Biden,” Markell underscored to American Family News (AFN). “I think it’s going to be a very, very awkward time.” “Bibi’s been a lifelong politician. He knows he’s got to say the right thing at the right time, and right now, he has to say that Joe Biden is a great friend,” she described. “90% of us knowthat’s almost laughable.” “But remember, America still gives Israel $3 billion dollars,” Markell noted. “What are you going to say to the President of the country that gives that little nation $3 billion dollars? You’regoing to say, ‘Thank you.'” Netanyahu will also be traveling to Mar-a-Lago to see fmr. President and Republican nominee Donald Trump the day following his conversation with Biden. While his decision to meet with Trumpdrew ire, Netanyahu defended his decision, stressing the “great importance to the State of Israel that the prime minister will meet with President [Joe] Biden and the two leading candidates for the US presidency.” During his time as President, Donald Trump became known for his exceptional support of Israel. His pro-Israel actions included the moving of the US embassy to Jerusalem, ripping up the IranNuclear deal, placing heavy sanctions on the terror funding regime in Tehran, and recognizing Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. The same level of support could not be said of the Biden Administration, which has placed constant pressure on Israel during its war with the terrorist organization Hamas and shamefully workedto withhold arms from Israel to apply leverage against an IDF operation in Rafah. After months of fruitless conversations with the Biden administration, Netanyahu was left with no other choice but to publicly address the “inconceivable” withholding of arms. Shortly after,Senator Tom Cotton lambasted Biden for playing political games, calling it “deliberately misleading the American people and insulting a key ally.” The Israeli PM’s current visit to the United States was not an easy road. Earlier this year, he was forced to cancel his scheduled trip to the US capitol in response to the Biden administration’srefusal to veto an anti-Israel resolution in March that demanded a ceasefire in Gaza with no contingency on the release of Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas. The significant decision by the US not to block the “harmful resolution,” which was supportedby Russia and China, was referred to by Netanyahu as an “abandonment of policy” that “gives Hamas hope.” On May 31st, American Congressional leaders signed a letter formally inviting Netanyahu to address Congress after pressure from House Speaker Mike Johnson. Johnson stressed the importanceof the “ironclad” relationship between the US and Israel and gave a deadline to Democrat leaders, warning he would move forward with the invitation with or without their approval. Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Riverside recently cautioned the United States that God’s blessing on America is contingent upon our nation’s treatment of Israel. “It is in the best interest of the United States of America to stand with our loyal ally, the nation Israel,” Laurie urged. “God made a promise to Abraham years ago; He said, ‘I will blessthose who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you’ (Genesis 12:3). One of the reasons God has blessed the United States is because we have stood by our friend Israel.” ------------------------------------ Hezbollah And Israel Approach the Breaking Point – Dror Doron - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=7119 Rockets have rained down from Lebanon over northern Israel for the nine months since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 of last year. But the 466 deaths on Hezbollah's side and the 33 on Israel's--mostlyfighters and soldiers--are only the beginning. With eyes otherwise on Gaza, this simmering conflict has been largely overlooked, but now the world must brace itself for a direct and fierce war between Hezbollah and Israel. Acutely aware of this possibly for some time, the United States has stepped up its diplomatic efforts, including repeated warnings to Hezbollah and Lebanese officials that they must take Israelithreats of retaliation more seriously. But these attempts are failing for two reasons: First, each side is backing itself into a spiral of escalation; second, the conflict is not just between Hezbollah and Israel--it is also betweenIsrael and Iran, Hezbollah's backer. The spiral of escalation manifests itself through Hezbollah's ongoing cross-border attacks while signaling through its propaganda machine that it has the military capabilities to strike atthe heart of Israel and beyond the northern border. Israel, unwilling to accept these provocations, is forced to respond and defend its territory, prompting further attacks. Further, Hezbollah has successfully linked the cessation of its attacks on northern Israel to the outcome of the ceasefire talks on Gaza. The U.S. has accepted this linkage, which Hezbollahviews as a significant diplomatic gain with the full knowledge that Israel is highly unlikely to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza anytime soon. By not challenging this linkage, the U.S. appears to be implicitly accepting the logic of Hezbollah's decision to launchits unprovoked attacks on northern Israel in solidarity with Hamas. Hezbollah is also encouraged by the lack of U.S. pressure on the Lebanese government to fulfill its responsibility to prevent Lebanon's soil from being used to attack a neighboring country.Without such pressure, there is little hope that any existing domestic opposition to Hezbollah's unilateral decision to trigger a border conflict with Israel could become influential in the Hezbollah leadership's cost-benefit calculations. The cold reality is that without an uncompromising and credible threat from the Biden administration that it will hit Hezbollah hard with military action in full support of Israel if the attackscontinue, the chance of Hezbollah stopping its attacks is almost nil. Such an uncompromising and credible threat could stop Hezbollah in its tracks, but it is unlikely to be even a remote possibility given the fluctuating support the U.S. has given Israel overGaza and the lack of wholehearted support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This is unlikely to change when Netanyahu meets President Joe Biden in Washington this week. Furthermore, Washington has refrained from taking a firm stand even against ongoing Houthi strikes in the Red Sea despite the loss of American lives and the clear threat the Houthis pose tointernational freedom of navigation and their violations of maritime law. Even if Israel were to enter a direct conflict with Hezbollah, there is no certainty of firm and unwavering American military support. Additionally, if the presidential election brings a secondterm for Donald Trump--who was tougher on Iran in his first term than the Biden administration has been--a Trump presidency will be unpredictable and unwavering support for Israel is not guaranteed even in those circumstances. Hezbollah and its patrons in Tehran know this all too well and are stepping up their actions. Better armed than Hamas, Hezbollah's war strategy against Israel will combine defensive and offensivetactics to leverage its fortified positions embedded in civilian environments and extensive arsenal. Defensively, Hezbollah will use a sophisticated underground network in southern Lebanon, including tunnels and bunkers within Shi'ite villages to conduct surprise guerilla-style attacks andprotect its personnel. This network aims to delay and wear down Israeli ground forces while challenging Israel's air superiority with advanced air defense systems provided by Iran, targeting Israeli drones and fighter jets. Offensively, Hezbollah plans to unleash a massive standoff attack using over 150,000 rockets, missiles and UAVs capable of striking any target in Israel. Initially focusing on military assets,Hezbollah will escalate to targeting civilian infrastructure to pressure Netanyahu's government. By inflicting significant damage on Israel and provoking an international response due to humanitarian concerns in Lebanon, Hezbollah will aim to force a ceasefireso it will be able to claim victory by merely surviving a superior military force, reinforcing its narrative of resilience and resistance. If this military scenario sounds familiar, it should come as no surprise because it is how Hamas has conducted its war in Gaza with Tehran as the architect of the elaborate regional networkof terror proxies that include not just Hezbollah but also Hamas, the Houthis and the Shi'ite militias in Iraq and Syria, coordinated by the U.S. terrorist designated Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The election of Iran's new president in recent weeks will do nothing to change this, as those malignant regional policies are decided by the supreme leader and his IRGC advisers. Indeed, Iranmay exploit the image President Masoud Pezeshkian has in the West as a so-called "reformer" to lull the U.S. and its allies into a false sense of security. Furthermore, given the support offered to Iran by Russia, China and North Korea, the implications for peace and stability in the Middle East and the implications for global trade and the economyare serious beyond what many appear to contemplate at the moment. By overlooking Iran's malign influence, Washington's Middle East policy will not succeed. A revised U.S. strategy is therefore required. It must recognize Iran as the instigator, demand accountabilityfor its proxy activities in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq, and reestablish American deterrence. As the U.S. shifts focus to the Indo-Pacific, Iran sees a chance to reshape regional power. Ignoring Tehran's provocations now will likely force U.S. intervention later under far less favorableconditions. --------------------------------------