Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, indicated on the 3rd (local time) that he is willing to accept the ceasefire proposal put forward by US President Joe Biden. However, he also demanded the right to resume a war with Hamas at any time, even if the ceasefire is accepted. There are doubts about the feasibility of an actual ceasefire due to the option of resuming war despite accepting the ceasefire.
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized that while he is willing to accept the ceasefire, Israel should be able to abandon negotiations and resume war if deemed necessary.
A government source in Israel stated that Netanyahu is willing to accept a temporary ceasefire for the release of hostages, but if permanent ceasefire negotiations do not progress, Israel should have the right to resume war at any time. The conditions Netanyahu mentioned for a permanent ceasefire include the release of all hostages and the destruction of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, which may be difficult for Hamas to accept.
An Israeli government official stated that Netanyahu’s intention is to ensure that Israel has the right to resume combat if negotiations are deemed fruitless.
President Biden had previously proposed a ceasefire compromise on May 31st to address the demands of both Israel and Hamas, and to push for a negotiated settlement, he urgently sent Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel. Blinken met with key decision-makers in Israel, including Yoav Gallant, Minister of Defense, and Benny Gantz, former Deputy Prime Minister and opposition representative.
However, Netanyahu’s decision seems challenging. The moderate faction represented by Gantz and his core right-wing coalition face sharp divisions, trying to navigate between domestic pressures. The extreme right-wing coalition partners argue for continuing the war until Hamas is expelled.
Some speculate that Biden’s presentation of the ceasefire proposal through a speech before Israel expressed willingness to accept it was a tactic to pressure Netanyahu into accepting the ceasefire, even amidst opposition from the far-right. Myra Cohen, Senior Analyst for Israel at the International Crisis Group (ICG), stated that Biden is explicitly pressuring Hamas to accept the ceasefire while implicitly demanding Netanyahu to also accept the negotiation proposal through the gaps in the statements.