- In an op-ed published Wednesday, US Pres. Joe Biden called on Congress to pass legislation providing military aid to Israel and Ukraine, adding that his admin. will not write "blank checks." Biden argued that by readily supporting Israel, the US could prevent Iran from escalating the conflict. The Wall Street Journal (LR: 3 CP: 5)
- Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said on Wednesday that negotiations regarding the release of Israeli hostages and a cease-fire in Gaza have reached a "delicate phase," referring to an unspecified "stumbling block." Reuters (LR: 3 CP: 5)
- Qatar, which has mediated the talks alongside Egypt, called on the international community to "stop this war" and accused Israel of using humanitarian aid as a "tool for political blackmail" — something Israel denies. The Times of Israel (a)
- Additionally, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar on Wednesday to discuss the war in Gaza. Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to meet with Haniyeh this weekend, with Erdogan referring to him as "the leader of the Palestinian cause" and Hamas as a "liberation movement." Jerusalem Post (LR: 3 CP: 5)
- On the Lebanese border, the Israeli military said that a Hezbollah attack on Arab al-Aramshe in northern Israel injured 18 people on Wednesday, including 14 soldiers. The military said that it targeted Hezbollah sites in Naqoura and Yarine. The Times of Israel (b)
- In Gaza, Israel claimed on Wednesday that it had "scaled up our capabilities" regarding aid deliveries into the besieged strip. Israel blamed the UN for the famine conditions seen in Gaza, with the UN saying that the problem is distribution and the lack of civil infrastructure in the strip after months of Israeli bombardment. CBS (LR: 2 CP: 5)
Pro-establishment narrative:
- The US is doing everything it can to ensure that Israel deter military threats while also preventing regional escalation. Israel must be able to defend itself from terrorist attacks, whether from Gaza or elsewhere, and the US will always defend Israel's right to security. Nonetheless, it's not in the US or Israel's best interest to see the conflict escalate. Thankfully, Israel, with the assistance of the US and its regional allies, managed to effectively counter Iran's attack, and any further military actions are completely unnecessary.
CNN (LR: 2 CP: 5)
Pro-Israel narrative:
- The US-Israeli relationship is one of the best strategic investments the US has made in the last 50 years. Besides the fact that arms sales to Israel directly support American industry, Israel's security is the US' security, as both countries are fighting the same enemies. Of course, the US and Israel do not agree on everything, having their ups and downs, but, nonetheless, US support for Israel effectively guarantees the US a strong position in the Middle East.
THE HILL
Pro-Palestine narrative:
- Reflexive US support for Israel over the decades has finally culminated in a horrifying display of human brutality — mass famine against the Palestinian people. Besides moral consideration around supporting Israel's slaughter in Gaza, Israel has consistently proven time and time again that it is a bad ally that is highly unreliable. While American and Israeli interests continue to diverge, successive American leaders have failed to recalibrate. Now, the US is risking a regional war by supporting a rogue Israeli state.
RESPONSIBLE STATECRAFT
Pro-Iran narrative:
- Iran continues to demonstrate its capabilities and restraint, as the attack over the weekend will hopefully serve as a wake-up call to Israel to end this series of escalations. Iran and its allies have been clear from day one that they do not want to see this war spiral into a regional conflict. Rather, Iran only seeks to end Israel's crimes in Gaza, to which it has been forced to respond. Israel made a mistake in believing that Iran would not respond to its provocations, and Iran's leadership will continue to calculate its moves appropriately.
AL MAYADEEN ENGLISH
Nerd narrative:
- There's a 1% chance that Hamas will have de facto power in the Gaza Strip on Jan. 1, 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
METACULUS (LR: 3 CP: 3)