US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday in Tel Aviv in what both called “a very good and important meeting.” Blinken touted that Netanyahu has accepted latest US proposal on a Gaza ceasefire deal, and now he’s urging that Hamas “must do the same”. 

Netanyahu in the meeting aftermath said that he appreciates “the understanding the US showed toward our vital security interests, amid our joint efforts to bring about the releases of our hostages.”

“I want to emphasize,” Netanyahu said, “efforts to release the maximum number of living hostages — in the first stage of the deal.” Blinken in a presser proclaimed that he’s in the region “to bring across the finish line” a ceasefire deal. He earlier warned this may be a “last chance” to secure a deal.

But the reality is that this is Blinken’s ninth visit to Israel since the war began after the Hamas terror attack of Oct.7, and each and every trip has been filled with statements of the voicing a US “ironclad” commitment to Israel’s security and simultaneous declarations that a truce as at the ‘goal line’. 

And yet the same blame-game always quickly ensues following such empty declarations, over the question of who is to blame for ultimately blowing supposedly ever-so close to the goal line deal – though realistically it doesn’t seem there is a viable deal on the table at all. 

AFP via Getty Images

All of this makes it hard to gauge the degree to which Blinken’s visit is just another empty exercise in Biden admin PR. 

The geopolitical analysis blog Moon of Alabama points out the following:

Axios claims that Hamas rejects a ceasefire deal with Israel:

Hamas rejects new U.S. proposal for Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal

The opener:

Hamas on Sunday rejected an updated U.S. proposal for a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, blaming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for moving the goalposts and the U.S. for indulging him.

Seven paragraphs later we learn:

Zoom in: More specifically, Hamas objects to the fact that the proposal doesn’t include a permanent ceasefire or comprehensive Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

Moon of Alabama concludes, “There is no ceasefire deal,” and questions: “How then could Hamas reject a ceasefire deal?”

Instead, this is what it really seems all about: projecting optics back home to Democratic voters who can yet again try to paint this meaningless trip as a “win” for Biden/Harris ahead of November…

BREAKING: HUGE Win for Biden /Harris Administration :

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Netanyahu has just accepted the latest U.S. proposal on a Gaza ceasefire deal. pic.twitter.com/MPxtXjVj7N

— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) August 19, 2024

And Blinken’s own words reflect something which appears merely in abstract, ephemeral form and not yet actually agreed to or a working option in any firm way…

“There is a deep sense of urgency for getting this done,” said  Blinken. He described that this is “the best way to make sure the conflict doesn’t spread, that we don’t see escalation, that we can actually defuse some of the pressure points that we see throughout the region, and then open prospects for trying to build more enduring peace and security for everyone throughout the Middle East.”

On the recent build-up of Pentagon assets in the region, Blinken claimed that Washington does “not to provoke aggression” but rather it’s all about deterrence, and “also to make clear that if it does, we are fully prepared to defend Israel.” 

Meanwhile, Blinken on the ground in Tel Aviv, Al Jazeera is reporting that IDF strikes across Gaza have expanded and are relentless…

UNRWA says “Israeli ‘strikes are now relentless’ and some Palestinians in Gaza have no choice but to live in the rubble of destroyed buildings amid expanding Israeli evacuation orders.” https://t.co/4Wdefh0TeZ

— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) August 19, 2024

According to the latest AJ newswire headline: Senior Hamas Official says they agreed to proposal made by Biden and the US administration failed to convince Netanyahu of it, Al Jazeera reports.