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A senior Israeli official on Tuesday (local time) alleged that the US is attempting to "overthrow" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led government amid the war between Israel and Palestinian terror group Hamas.
The response came after a US intelligence report stated that Netanyahu's government "could be in jeopardy" over its war management in Gaza, which has been ongoing since October 7 last year following Hamas's sudden attack on southern Israel.
"Those who elect the Prime Minister of Israel are the citizens of Israel and no one else," the unnamed official was quoted as saying by The Times of Israel.
The official said that Israel "was not a protectorate of the US" and a democratic country.
"We expect our friends to act to overthrow the terror regime of Hamas and not the elected government in Israel," the official added.
In its report on Israel, the US said, "Distrust of Netanyahu’s ability to rule has deepened and broadened among the people from its already high levels before the war. We expect large protests demanding his resignation and new elections. A different, more moderate government is a possibility."
The US, in the report, stated that Israel may continue to face challenges from Hamas in the next few years, despite Netanyahu's insistence that Israel will eradicate the Palestinian group.
"Netanyahu’s viability as (a) leader as well as his governing coalition of far-right and ultra-orthodox parties that pursue hardline policies on Palestinian and security issues may be in doubt," the US said in the report.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu remained defiant over Israel's offensives in Gaza and said the "remaining Hamas battalions" must be destroyed in Rafah to win the war. He reiterated that Hamas would re-group and stage a counterattack if Israel did not take swift action.
"That is an intolerable threat to our future, and we will not accept it. We will destroy Hamas, free our hostages and ensure that Gaza doesn’t pose a threat to Israel again," Netanyahu was quoted by The Times of Israel as saying.
"Israel will finish the job in Rafah while enabling the civilian population to get out of harm’s way," he said.
Earlier, US President Joe Biden said his administration had a "red line" when it came to a planned Israeli offensive in Rafah. But he immediately backtracked from the remark and said, "It is a red line but I'm never going to leave Israel."
Since the war broke out five months ago, 31,184 people have died in Gaza and some 72,899 others have been injured, according to Hamas-run Palestinian health ministry in Gaza.
Published By:
Prateek Chakraborty
Published On:
Mar 13, 2024
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