Foreign pressure on Israel is on the rise and may outweigh international support in the next two to three weeks – Eli Cohen.
Foreign pressure on Israel is on the rise and may outweigh international support in the next two to three weeks, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said, according to Israeli media.
The Jerusalem Post reported that the remarks were made during a press briefing on Monday.
Cohen reportedly described the pressure as “on the rise,” adding that “the world accepts” that Israel will not stop its efforts until all of the prisoners and hostages being held in Gaza are released.
“The issue of the hostages is one of the main tools that give the State of Israel legitimacy today to continue fighting,” Cohen reportedly said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that French President Emmanuel Macron “made a mistake” by urging the Israeli army to stop bombing civilians in Gaza.https://t.co/M0x5Qy6AK2 pic.twitter.com/VMlOHWX8q6
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) November 13, 2023
Cohen added that the government was in discussions with a few of the eight countries that have recalled their ambassadors regarding arranging their return “in the coming days or weeks.”
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Western leaders not to bow to pressure from those calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying that French President Emmanuel Macron “made a mistake” by urging the Israeli army to stop bombing civilians in Gaza.
On Friday, Macron said that “de facto – today – civilians are bombed,” pointing out that “there is no reason for that and no legitimacy,” urging Israel to stop. He added that a humanitarian ceasefire was the only solution to protect all civilians in Gaza.
On the same day as Macron’s statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said “far too many” Palestinians had died in Israel’s retaliation against Hamas militants in Gaza and noted that Washington was trying to convince West Jerusalem to impose longer “humanitarian pauses,” without giving details.
🚨 Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen: We have two weeks until international pressure intensifies.
FOLLOW OUR LIVE BLOG: https://t.co/blFlyky5z0 pic.twitter.com/v2j7t56fms
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) November 13, 2023
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israel has, thus far, killed over 11,360 Palestinians, including 4,609 children and 3,100 women. The number of wounded has reached 28,200.
The Israeli army continues to pound civilian homes throughout the Gaza Strip with new massacres reported everywhere in the besieged enclave.
Gaza has been under a tight Israeli military siege since 2007, following a democratic election in occupied Palestine, the results of which were rejected by Tel Aviv and Washington.
(The Palestine Chronicle Staff)
